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April 2013
DataGreat Forest Clients Outperform in Efficiency, Data Accuracy
 
Great Forest has emerged as one of the top consulting firms submitting data from more than 50 client buildings as required by Local Law 84 (LL 84). 
 
A preliminary report assessing the accuracy of LL84 data submitted to NYC found that information provided by Great Forest on behalf of clients was much more likely than average to have error-free results. Great Forest clients were also found to outperform in efficiency.

"We are pleased that the City has noted the accuracy of our client's data. We know that accuracy is key to measuring the efficacy of the law," says Sheila Sweeney, director of energy services at Great Forest.  
 
"We are also encouraged that our clients' Energy Star ratings calculated higher than the median of commercial benchmarked ratings. Efficiency scores for the majority of our rated buildings improved in 2011 over 2010." 

LL84 requires that buildings of 50,000sf or more submit a compliance report regarding energy and water usage to the City by May 1 of each year. The City is expected to release a wider meta-analysis of benchmarked data in the Fall of 2013.  
caseCase Study: Centralized Vs. Traditional Deskside Recycling 

What happens when waste and recycling bins are moved away from the deskside to a centralized location? Great Forest recently conducted a trial to find out. Read our one-page case study to find out the percentage of recyclables that ended up in the trash from the centralized versus the deskside recycling system in our pilot. 
 
Our results were featured in Environmental Leader's 2013 Insider Knowledge report (the case study is on page 124).  Call your Great Forest representative to see which system might improve your recycling rate. 
food
Over 100 Restaurants Pledge to Reduce Food Waste by 50%
 

Le Bernardin, Momofuku, Chipotle and Juice Generation are among over 100 restaurants in NYC that have pledged to reduce by half the amount of food waste sent to landfills. Instead of throwing away food, the restaurants will implement strategies like composting and recycling.

 

Great Forest provided assistance on the development of this Food Waste Challenge for the City and will continue to offer technical advice. 

 

Food waste comprises one-third of daily refuse in NYC and restaurants account for 70% of commercial food waste. 
health
Healthcare Sustainability Drives Patient Care

Did you know that hospitals and clinics are the second most intensive users of energy in the U.S., right behind the food service industry?  

 

Greening hospitals, clinics and other healthcare practices is therefore key because it benefits patients, not only because of the resulting cleaner environment, but also because the money saved will free up more resources that can be used for patient care. This may mean less medical staff layoffs and that clinical programs do not have to be shut down. 

 

A recent study (released November, 2012) of nine hospitals across the country calculated that green strategies could potentially save more than $5.4 billion over the next five years! Imagine what hospitals can do to improve care with the money saved?

 

A member of Practice Greenhealth, Great Forest is now working to help healthcare organizations become more sustainable. Learn more about our new Healthcare Sustainability practice. 
DidQ&A: How much energy do I save by taking the stairs instead of the elevator? 
 
There are many factors in determining the amount of energy used by any one person in any one elevator ride. Factors like the number of people in the elevator, the elevator's capacity, whether it is going up or down, and the age/type of elevator.

One estimate says the amount of energy it takes for one person to travel one floor in an elevator is 2.5 Wh, roughly equivalent to charging your cell phone battery a few percentage points. Multiply this by all the people taking all the trips in elevators every day and you have a significant amount of energy being used for this intra-building travel.

Choosing to use your legs saves electricity and is also healthy for you. You'll burn around 5 calories per flight of stairs.   
 

Sources: ThyssenKrupp Elevator Energy Calculator

Great Forest Inc.
212.779.4757
2014 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10035

A pioneer in the industry with over 20 years of experience, Great Forest is one of the leading sustainability consultancies in the country. We improve environmental performance and reduce costs for clients nationwide ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to property management companies, hotels, retailers, financial and educational institutions, and municipalities. 
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