ENVIRONMENTAL
INTRODUCTION
ESG OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY
SOCIAL
GOVERNANCE
APPENDICES
34
High-Performance Healthy Buildings
On average, Americans spend close to 90% of their time indoors. 8 With that in mind, ESRT provides tenants with thoughtfully designed work environments focused on the health and well- being of the people who occupy our buildings every day. Healthy buildings are where we can work together and collaborate to help restore company culture after widespread office closures, increase productivity, and drive the bottom line. ESRT developed a program of strategies rolled out across the portfolio, which is in alignment with the WELL Health-Safety Rating (100% of portfolio certified), Fitwel Certification (89% of NYC portfolio certified), and industry-leading best practice. These strategies are illustrated in the figure to the right. Indoor Environmental Quality For more than a decade, IEQ improvement has been a key tenet of our sustainability strategy. Our industry-leading, comprehensive, state-of-the-art program focuses on operational best practices to ensure healthy and productive spaces that include MERV 13 filters, bipolar ionization air purification technology, indoor air quality (IAQ) and water quality tests, CO 2 sensors, green cleaning practices, integrated pest management strategies, and low-emitting materials. ESRT was the first commercial portfolio in the Americas to achieve the WELL Health- Safety Rating and among the first to be certified three times. The WELL Health-Safety Rating, developed by the International WELL Building Institute, is an evidence-based, third-party rating focused on operational policies, maintenance protocols, emergency plans, and stakeholder education to address a post-COVID-19 environment and broader health- and safety-related issues. When faced with the most intense pandemic in over a century, ESRT developed a pathway for our employees, visitors, and tenants to return to the office with confidence.
Our portfolio is 100% WELL Health-Safety
Rated, and 89% of our NYC portfolio is Fitwel certified.
HEALTHY BUILDING MEASURES
Human Experience • CO 2 -based demand control ventilation to ensure adequate introduction of fresh outside air for ventilation • Advanced LutronVive lighting control system to optimize daylight, glare, and productivity balanced with energy efficiency
Air Filtration • Space-specific 24/7 HVAC • MERV 13 filters that filter everything from dust, pollen, and mold to bacteria
Air Purification • Active bipolar ionization air purification system to improve air quality
Performance Verification
• Annual comprehensive third-party air and water quality testing
Healthy Materials/Products • Sustainable purchasing, such as low or no VOC and no Red List materials in tandem with our High- Performance Sustainable Healthy Design and Construction Guidelines
Operations • Integrated pest management practices • Certified green cleaning products
8 “Indoor Air Quality .” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency
EMPIRE STATE REALTY TRUST: 2022 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
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