Hartz Mountain Industries, a New Jersey real estate development company, has made a major commitment to cut energy, water, waste and emissions at its retail and commercial properties across the state through a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), reports RealEstateRama.com.
The agreement with the EPA reflects environmental initiatives already under way at some of its major properties, including solar panels on the 65,000-square-foot roof of the Meadowlands Exhibition Center, which supplies 40 percent of the building's electricity, reports NewJerseyNewsroom.com.
Hartz also has four additional roof installations, which brings its annual solar power output to more than 3.5 million kilowatt hours, which prevent the equivalent of more than 25 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
Under the agreement, Hartz will join EPA's Energy Star and Waste Wise programs to help the organization cut energy use and waste production and increase recycling rates.
The real estate developer will also follow EPA's GreenScapes guidelines to minimize water use in landscaping and EPA's Clean Construction USA program to reduce emissions from vehicles and other internal combustion engines. The company will also implement engine idling reduction measures in its own fleet and encourage other stakeholders to do the same.
The EPA says buildings are responsible for nearly half of the nation's greenhouse gas pollution. The EPA's Energy Star Leaders prevented the emissions of more than 220,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide and saved more than $48 million across their commercial building portfolios in 2009.
The real estate developer will also cut water use by installing low-flow plumbing fixtures, including low flow toilets, automatic faucet controls, low-flow showerheads and waterless urinals in new construction.
The organization will also focus on increased recycling and reuse of municipal solid waste and construction waste and debris, and consider composting food waste either on-site or at an off-site location.
The agreement also requires that heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment meet EPA Energy Star or similar performance guidelines. It also bans the use of chlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons for newly purchased air conditioning units, and requires the use of energy management systems and energy-saving lighting, including motion-sensitive switches, and fluorescent lighting.
The deal also calls for Hartz to seek the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver, or higher, certification for its headquarters building in Secaucus and its Sheraton Suites project in Weehawken. The company's Edison Towne Square project in Edison, N.J., is also expected to meet LEED standards.
Hartz will submit annual status reports to the EPA. The real estate developer already keeps track of energy usage and other costs, according to NewJerseyNewsroom.com.
The EPA also has similar agreements with a number of organizations in New Jersey and New York.
