Manager, Building Sustainability Performance

Empire State Realty Trust • Full-time • New York, New York • 3m ago

COMPANY SUMMARY

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) is a NYC-focused REIT that owns and operates a portfolio of modernized, amenitized, and well-located office, retail, and multifamily assets. ESRT’s flagship Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building,” features its iconic Observatory that was declared the #1 Attraction in the World – and the #1 Attraction in the U.S. for the third consecutive year – in Tripadvisor’s 2024 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do. The Company is the recognized leader in energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. As of September 30, 2024, ESRT’s portfolio is comprised of approximately 7.8 million rentable square feet of office space, 0.7 million rentable square feet of retail space and 732 residential units. More information about Empire State Realty Trust can be found at esrtreit.com and by following ESRT on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the SVP of Energy, Sustainability, and ESG, the Manager of Sustainable Building Performance will support Property Management, Project Management and Leasing to implement projects, programs, and processes to reduce building energy and emissions, with primary focus on building mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. Since ESRT’s goal is to lease space, all of the work will be done in a way that improves tenant comfort and satisfaction.

RESPONSIBILITIES

- Manage the successful development, implementation, quality control, training, accountability, and performance for ESRT’s sustainability priorities for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Successful deployment includes improvements to tenant comfort and indoor environmental quality.
- Manage and support property management teams for successful rollout and adoption of new Building Management Systems (BMS), controls sequence, and Master Systems Integration (MSI) for building performance optimization, automation and better control of indoor environment for tenant comfort.
- Develop and run energy and emissions reduction training programs for building engineers, management, and staff. Provide directives and goals pertaining to building performance, tenant comfort and emission reductions. Develop programs to measure performance against goals.
- Oversee the negotiation, execution and implementation of Master Servicer Agreements (MSA’s) for BMS, MSI, HVAC systems, Demand Response, Demand Management and water reduction systems. Coordinate with and support Property Management and building engineers on energy and emissions reduction, and sustainability performance.
- Coordinate and direct design engineers to ensure tenant build outs comply with ESRT’s High Performance Guidelines and that building projects meet or exceed ESRT 2.0 sustainability requirements. Perform plan review, construction administration, field observation reports and commissioning to ensure projects comply with ESRT standards.
- Assist in capital improvement planning. Review planned capital improvement work for compliance with 2.0 sustainability criteria. Forecast life cycle replacement of equipment and systems for 10-year capital improvement budgets. Work with other teams to optimize useful life of equipment and perform ROI analysis on replacements or retrofits of HVAC and high energy use equipment. Ensure equipment and systems upgrades, retrofits, repairs, and replacements meet 2.0/LL97 initiatives and goals for each property.
- Coordinate with and provide support for building engineers on the utilization of BMS and sequence of operations that align with ASHRAE 36 to ensure building performance. Develop and oversee operational standards.
- Provide training and mentorship for engineering staff on BMS, MSI, controls and new technologies.
- Develop processes for companywide preventive maintenance. Identify and implement a new preventive maintenance software platform (KODE Labs PM in addition to potential other tools and technologies). Provide training support. Ensure maintenance is tracked and completed timely and consistently for all properties commercial, retail multifamily.
- Improve tenant engagement and compliance with operational standards and utilize KODE Tenant Energy Management in partnership with property engineers. Communicate and train tenants across entire portfolio on tools (KODE, cash flow savings).
- Utilize trend data from MSI (KODE Labs) and BMS to implement portfolio wide energy and emission reduction initiatives that meet or exceed annual performance targets. Evaluate internal and external technologies and tools including sensors, submeters, software programs, and other methodologies to optimize performance.
- Track and report project costs and cash flow related to 2.0 sustainability work.
- Partner with ESRT’s Sustainability Manager on sustainability goals and initiatives.
- Drive bottom line cash flow by overseeing financial planning and forecasting for Capex and OPEX sustainability projects in partnership with Sustainability Manager and Property Managers. Drive return on investments for ongoing 2.0 projects though management and coordination of rebates, proper maintenance and life cycle replacement, current correct lease language and future leasing master plans.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

- You are a highly motivated individual with a passion for sustainability, who possesses the necessary skills needed in this role.
- The Sustainability Manager works seamlessly with other departments and knows how to prioritize assignments and communicate issues and significant findings to the team immediately.
- You have knowledge of global and national sustainability frameworks and common understanding of HVAC and building systems.
- The Sustainability Manager is a self-starter with the ability to work independently, multi-task and prioritize.
- You are able to develop trackers and perform financial planning and forecasting.
- You have strong communication skills and the ability to communicate with both tenants and colleagues.

REQUIRED SKILLS / ABILITIES

- Self-starter with the ability to work independently, meet/exceed deadlines, prioritize, multi-task, and maintain flexibility in fast-paced, evolving environment
- High degree of organization, individual initiative, decisive, personal accountability and comfort in working in a high paced environment
- Excellent written, oral, presentation and interpersonal skills
- Ability to manage, track, and analyze large amounts of technical data, and to articulate a clear and meaningful message supported by this data
- Ability to review engineering and architectural drawings and specifications against ESRT High Performance Design and Construction Guidelines
- Ability to review engineering and architectural bids, pricing, estimates, and change orders for competitive market pricing and MSA alignment where applicable
- Ability to review, author, edit, and manage lease agreements, contracts, change orders, MSA’s and other applicable agreements for alignment with ESRT standards and to meet or exceed 2.0 standards

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in energy, sustainability, ESG, engineering, environmental science, or related technical field strongly preferred
- 3 years of experience implementing energy/sustainability/ESG initiatives/program in the built environment
- Experience in project management with an excellent organizational skills and experience in the built environment
- Knowledge of environmental reporting frameworks, ENERGY STAR Portfolio manager, and other common external disclosures
- Familiar with corporate sustainability standards and commitments like Net Zero and Science Based Targets
- Technical understanding of common HVAC, electrical, mechanical, and building automation systems
- Strong financial and analytical skills and experience in Excel and Yardi

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

- At ESRT, like our tenants, our employees come from everywhere. We foster a richly diverse work environment that captures top talent and cultivates the best ideas. By focusing on inclusion and celebrating our differences, we create even greater value — in business practices, relationships, and employee engagement. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are committed to maintaining a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment where our employees can thrive. In addition, ESRT employees embody our Company Culture & Success Factors:
- Adaptable – you are a self-starter who’s able to quickly digest and execute new processes to work both collaboratively and independently
- Dynamic – you are solutions-oriented, aim to improve processes and implement efficiency, and offer insightful feedback to improve ESRT
- Dependable – you take a strong sense of ownership and accountability over your work
- Passionate – you keep up with industry trends and are excited about the potential to propel the industry forward with a “roll-up-your-sleeves” attitude
- Curious – you consistently look for new ways to work smarter, not just harder
- Ethical – you treat others with respect, and embrace and contribute to a culture of diversity and inclusion
- Positive – you possess a service-oriented attitude with excellent follow through

BENEFITS

- Competitive base salary and bonus
- Health/Dental/Vision insurance
- Company sponsored Life, AD&D, STD (with Salary Continuation), and LTD Insurance
- Voluntary Enhanced LTD Program
- Voluntary Hospital, Accident, and Cancer Programs
- 401(k) with 100% match up to 5%
- Paid parental leave
- Pre-tax transit accounts
- Employee Assistance Program for emotional, financial, and legal support

WELL-BEING

- Generous paid time off
- Flex remote work time
- Flex Summer Fridays
- Employee engagement programs
- Volunteer time off
- Continuing education
- Complimentary Empire State Building Observatory access
- Complimentary gym membership and other wellness benefits
- Employee Discount Programs

$150,000 - $200,000 a year

Salary is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, job location, size of property where applicable, and/or certifications. In addition to your base salary, ESRT provides discretionary annual bonuses.

ESRT is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We celebrate the unique differences of our employees because they drive curiosity, innovation, and the success of our business. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, pregnancy, parental status, caregiver status, genetic information, political affiliation, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, training, working conditions, transfer, job assignments, benefits, layoff, and termination. Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities