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Viking Management Ltd. and Ranger Management LLC

New York County

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Property Managers Partner with Energy Consultants and Bring Top-Tier Training to Superintendents and Operations Teams

When operations and maintenance staff are faced with mounting energy efficiency responsibilities, NYSERDA’s workforce training program can help connect them with the right tools at the right time.

Today’s building superintendents, operations, and maintenance staff are the go-to people who monitor and resolve all types of energy-related situations. They are relied on to reduce operational costs and to generate energy savings. In older buildings, where upgrades to heating and water systems may have been postponed, operations staff are expected to keep energy use in check.

In addition, in New York City, these jobs can be even more demanding. Laws such as Local Law 97 (LL97) mandate reductions in energy consumption. That means the responsibility of meeting emissions targets and avoiding costly fines may fall to the superintendents and their staff.

SNAP SHOT:

Viking Management Ltd. & Ranger Management LLC

Property owners and management firms specializing in rent-stabilized multifamily buildings in New York City.

Ross Energy Consulting

Leaders in Strategic Energy Management training and implementation, with extensive expertise in multifamily and commercial properties.

Energy Training Solutions

An energy-education company, sub-contracted by Ross Energy, which works at the intersection of energy use and human behavior.

The Spry Group

A team of software developers and entrepreneurs, sub-contracted by Ross Energy, which explores ways that technology can help make sense of the world around us.

Properties: 62 buildings, many six-story, pre-war, with steam heat

Total square feet of energy management: 2.2 million

Training: 57 building operators, managers, and senior team leaders trained, and 7 trainers trained

Photos Provided by Ranger Management

Majestic Court, a six-story tan brick building.

5 story building with red brick front.

Ranger Management building with 717 Rotherwood sign on front.

Property Managers Change Approach to Energy, Staff Training

Two Manhattan-based businesses – Ranger Properties and Viking Management – which are responsible for 62 buildings and a total of 2.2 million square feet, recognized their buildings’ staff needed more training support. So, Ross Energy Consulting, LLC, partnered with them to apply to NYSERDA’s “Building Operations and Maintenance Training” program.

The program would enable Ranger and Viking to get energy assessments on their portfolios, discover places for energy savings, design training focused on their specific buildings, and up-skill their staff.

Group of people in a boiler room participating in Ross Energy on-site training. Group of people in a boiler room participating in Ross Energy on-site training.

Ross Energy on-site training.

Energy Managers Assess, Identify, Develop a Plan

Ross Energy, with help from subcontractor Energy Training Solutions (ETS), performed the initial energy assessment. They mapped energy use, identified problems, and found that older, mid-size, steam-heated buildings in the portfolios represented a great opportunity for reducing energy consumption.

Ross Energy and ETS identified the types of training and best practices that operations staff would need for day-to-day maintenance procedures with this type of equipment. Then, they designed a robust, hybrid curriculum with state-of-the-art, interactive video training for both portfolios. Their branded training, called “Top Ops” (Top Operations), is a mix of virtual and in-person field training, and collaboration with off-site experts. This approach enabled maximum participation.

A Strategic Approach

Ranger and Viking maintenance and facilities staff were introduced to an integrated site-based training, or a Strategic Energy Management (SEM) approach.

Interestingly, most buildings identified for the training were rent-stabilized housing. And approximately 50% of the building operator trainees (and building tenants) met various New York State eligibility requirements for historically marginalized and underrepresented communities and priority populations.

Ross Energy and ETS taught trainees:

  • core strategies for training other building maintenance employees
  • ways to improve communication and engagement with management
  • better communication between staff and management on how to prioritize
  • ways to increase on-site energy savings by applying specific best practices
  • identifying and targeting tasks most likely to be successfully implemented 
  • LL97 compliance
  • training concepts such as master venting, air sealing, pipe insulation, energy efficient lighting and other high impact O&M measures

A training model with context of the organization and leadership contributing to a 4-step process of Plan (planning), Do (support organization), Check (program evaluation), Act (improvement). A training model with context of the organization and leadership contributing to a 4-step process of Plan (planning), Do (support organization), Check (program evaluation), Act (improvement).

The “Plan, Do, Check, Act” model is part of “Top-Ops” training.

"Training has resulted in fewer heat calls at my building, especially in the middle of the night, and overall improved heat distribution in the building. Our staff have more knowledge and peace of mind."

–Francisco Gonzalez, Building Superintendent, Viking Management

A Successful Program

Overall, participants benefited from a tailored curriculum plan, which included a focus on smart building expertise, in-depth troubleshooting, and performance optimization.

The training transformed day-to-day maintenance processes into efficient, streamlined procedures with measurable results.

Companies pivoting to today’s energy efficiency realities can utilize NYSERDA’s training programs. They provide the right types of support and direction for facilities, operations, and maintenance. Success is possible when the right tools, knowledge, skills, and motivation are at hand!

View a list of terms and definitions that apply to NYSERDA’s workforce development and training solicitations.

"NYSERDA's funding for the Top Ops Training Program has enabled our team to build a closer relationship with our clients and the staff most responsible for driving persistent and hard to reach energy savings."

–Keirnyn Ross, President, Ross Energy Consulting

“The NYSERDA [supported] training has given our supers, who are our eyes and ears of the building, a better understanding of the building systems. They are able to identify issues that they thought were normal in the past. Catching many small issues add up to a large difference. Once these issues are cured the building runs much more efficiently."

–Daniel Ilibassi, Owner and Property Manager at Viking Management

Learn more about NYSERDA's Building Operations and Maintenance efforts.

Visit: nyserda.ny.gov/BOM Email: [email protected] for information.