ENVIRONMENTAL
INTRODUCTION
ESG OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY
SOCIAL
GOVERNANCE
APPENDICES
31
The reduction of water consumption in buildings reduces overall environmental impact, drives operational cost savings, and reduces risk from fluctuations in water supply. Water usage reduction and water runoff quality and quantity management are critical issues for NYC and for ESRT as a recipient of the municipal water supply. We address each of these through water processing, water fixtures, green roofs, and native xeriscape planting. To implement our Water Management Policy and conservation initiatives, we partner with our property managers and building engineers to understand the factors that influence asset water usage through collection of readily available information and inventory of all water fixtures, equipment, and systems and provide guidance on the following:
WATER
• Set and track toward performance goals • Keep water data updated in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager • Fix identified leaks • Continue to research, pilot, and implement strategic water management technologies and strategies in base building and tenant spaces • Ensure best practices for water conservation
• Engage and educate tenants on opportunities for specifications and behaviors to drive water efficiency • Install or retrofit existing fixtures for ultra-low- flow models where possible and in every retrofit • Implemented WINT water submetering and real-time monitoring, machine learning, and management software across the entire commercial portfolio as of 2022
We implement water efficiency strategies to support our water reduction goals and minimize our impact on the environment. Our water efficiency initiatives include a combination of retrofits, submeters, software, and pilot technology along with advanced water quality monitoring and testing.
LOW-FLOW RETROFITS AND UPGRADES As part of our standards, we continue to implement ultra-low-flow fixtures that perform approximately 40%–50% better than code and are EPA WaterSense labeled.
WATER SUBMETERS To monitor and measure water consumption by end use and identify areas for targeted reduction, we install water submeters for key water systems. We track progress from water efficiency upgrades, identify leaks from specific systems, and identify opportunities to increase water efficiency.
ADVANCED SOFTWARE-BASED WATER USE MONITORING We have implemented machine learning artificial intelligence- based software to detect and mitigate unnecessary water usage and leaks, monitor water use, and analyze water use trends for all major systems across our commercial portfolio. This technology enables our property managers and engineers to expertly manage water consumption and make informed operational decisions in real time. As of 2022, 100% our commercial portfolio has implemented this smart technology. We plan to extend implementation of this technology across our multifamily portfolio to further reduce process water usage over the next year.
EMPIRE STATE REALTY TRUST: 2022 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
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