THE ROSENBLUM COMPANIES RECOGNIZED FOR SUPERIOR ENERGY PERFORMANCE

 Developer is one of only two in region with five ENERGY STAR^® CERTIFIED office buildings.

(Albany, NY) The Rosenblum Companies, a commercial real estate developer based in the Capital Region of Upstate N.Y., has been recognized as a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 2014 ENERGY STAR “Certification Nation.”  In 2014, Rosenblum earned ENERGY STAR certifications for five of its office buildings, totaling over one-quarter million square feet.  

Commercial buildings that earn EPA’s ENERGY STAR are verified to perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency. They use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and are responsible for 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Rosenblum Companies owns and operates 11 office buildings at its Great Oaks and Corporate Plaza office parks in Guilderland and Albany, respectively.  ENERGY STAR certifications were awarded to the three buildings that comprise Great Oaks – 100, 200 and 300 Great Oaks Boulevard - as well as 286 Washington Avenue Extension and 14 Columbia Circle Drive at Corporate Plaza:

·       Four of five Rosenblum buildings received ENERGY STAR scores of 93 or higher on a scale of 100.

·       Building 100 at Great Oaks Office Park received a score of 97, the highest score given to any multi-tenant office building in the Capital Region.

The Rosenblum Companies improved its energy performance to ENERGY STAR levels by managing energy strategically and making cost-effective improvements to its buildings.  Between 2013 and 2014, investments totaling $750,000 included LED parking lot and exterior lighting, high-efficiency interior lighting retrofits, and at Great Oaks, new UV-reflective gray-colored roofs that better balance seasonal variations.  By reflecting the sun’s energy in summer, the 100% recyclable roofs transfer less heat into the building, resulting in less load on air-conditioning systems. In the winter, a seamless weld system improves heat retention.

“We’re continually investing in and improving our properties to provide better, more sustainable spaces for businesses,” said Seth Rosenblum, CEO of The Rosenblum Companies.  "Our ENERGY STAR buildings have helped us reduce our organization’s carbon footprint while mitigating cost for tenants.”  

The Rosenblum Companies is one of only two private commercial property owners in the region to achieve ENERGY STAR certification for five or more buildings.

The LED parking lot light conversion at Great Oaks enabled Rosenblum to reduce the associated annual energy cost by 79%, from $18,124 per year to $3,739.  Retrofitting interior fluorescent parabolic lighting with new high-output lamps yielded a 41% reduction in energy usage - from 85 watts per fixture to 50 watts – and an annual per-fixture cost savings of $13.09.  These retrofits also improved lighting quality and extended service life, reducing future maintenance costs and waste.  Old fluorescent light bulbs were sent to a recycling facility, keeping mercury out of the waste stream.

Since the program began in 1999, more than 24,000 commercial buildings and industrial plants have earned EPA’s ENERGY STAR. As of the end of 2013, ENERGY STAR facilities have averted more than 40 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and saved more than $3 billion on utility bills.  The EPA is celebrating the 15th anniversary of ENERGY STAR with its “Certification Nation” campaign, which features stories, tips, and advice, as well as a blitz of certification activity across the country. 

“What we’re really celebrating this year are the achievements of the businesses and organizations that work every day to manage their building’s energy use, “ said Jean Lupinacci, Chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial & Industrial Branch. “Together, their top-performing properties have achieved significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as well as cost savings for our cities, our schools, and the businesses that power America’s economy.”

“ENERGY STAR is not only a badge of honor, it’s good business,” continued Seth Rosenblum. “By making sustainability a core value of The Rosenblum Companies and investing in innovative green technologies, we have not only helped the environment, but also created healthier, more economical workplaces. Treating our planet like a valued client is a best practice for any company.”

The Rosenblum Companies has undertaken several other sustainability initiatives, including utilizing all green cleaning products, porous pavement parking lots to mitigate storm water runoff, construction material and carpet tile recycling, low-impact integrated pest management (IPM), and installing electric vehicle charging stations, which are free for tenants to use.

The investments come at a critical time for New York State. The U.S. Green Building Council announced recently that in 2014, New York State fell to tenth place in the ranking of states using environmentally friendly practices. In 2013, New York State placed fifth in the rankings.

Products, homes and buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR label prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency requirements set by the U.S. EPA. In 2013 alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved an estimated $30 billion on their utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use of more than 38 million homes. From the first ENERGY STAR qualified computer in 1992, the label can now be found on products in more than 70 different categories and 1.5 million new homes in addition to commercial and industrial buildings.

For more information about Certification Nation and the 15^th anniversary for ENERGY STAR Certification for Commercial Buildings, visit: www.energystar.gov/CertificationNation

About The Rosenblum Companies

The Rosenblum Companies is a premier developer and full-service manager of transformative properties totaling over a half-million square feet.  For more than 35 years, Rosenblum has focused on providing better spaces and real estate services to regional businesses, nonprofit institutions and Fortune 500 corporations, alike, in the Capital Region.  Rosenblum’s Great Oaks Office Park in Guilderland and Corporate Plaza in Albany embody the company’s “Re-envisioning the Workplace” initiative to create and operate next-generation work environments for companies in the information age.  Rosenblum’s inaugural residential project, called “17 Chapel,” is downtown Albany’s first and only luxury condominium building, and has been a catalyst for the City’s urban housing renaissance.  17 Chapel has received numerous accolades, including a 2012 Sustainable Cities Award from the Historic Albany Foundation.  In 2014, the Albany Business Review recognized 17 Chapel as one of “50 Projects That Are Reshaping Life and Business in the Capital Region.”  For more information about The Rosenblum Companies: www.rosenblumcompanies.com.