‘The Green Picture’ with Erika Schnitzer: 1,000 Green Supers in One Year

 Does it matter how green your buildings are if the people responsible for their daily operations don’t know how to properly maintain their sustainable lifestyle? In New York City, Urban Green (the city’s chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council) and 32BJ, a building service workers union, have launched a plan to train 1,000 green…

 Does it matter how green your buildings are if the people responsible for their daily operations don’t know how to properly maintain their sustainable lifestyle?

In New York City, Urban Green (the city’s chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council) and 32BJ, a building service workers union, have launched a plan to train 1,000 green building superintendents this year.

According to the program’s website, the group of managers currently undergoing training (within the first two courses) represent 55 buildings, or 4,600 apartments throughout the city, ranging in age from one to 120 years old.

The program is designed to prioritize skills to reduce energy use within a building and train supers in all aspects of green building operations and maintenance.

What do you think? Is this a feasible program? Should other cities and localities institute similar programs? How important is education when it comes to your building’s daily operations?

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