When LEED Gold Gets a C

New York’s energy grading system is up and running, and it’s fueling LEED bashing. Are the critics right?
by P.J. Melton

At 7 Bryant Park in New York City, a plaque from 2016 proudly displays a rating of LEED 2009 Gold. To its left is the building’s current “energy grade,” whose display is required by a recently enacted NYC law. For actual energy use, the building gets a C—an Energy Star score of 60, which means it’s only slightly above average. What gives?

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Is there a required frequency for pest service site visits in order to be considered integrated pest management? How frequent and how rigorous should the inspections be in order to comply?

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There is no minimum required frequency for pest management and based on your building's individual pest management needs. That said, the intent is for the program to be proactive—utilizing integrated pest management practices beforehand in order to avoid the future need for pesticides. Often, a pest management log will include inspections, cleaning, maintenance and monitoring activities, as well as logging any pesticide applications.

What do I do if have a project outside the U.S. where many of the pesticides listed on the San Francisco Reduced-Risk Pesticide List are not available?

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The best thing to do is to compare the active ingredients of your products to those listed on the San Francisco Reduced-Risk Pesticide List. Brand availability varies around the world, so when that isn't the most effective way to monitor these products, check the active ingredient and concentration to determine which tier the product would fall under based on pesticides listed on the San Francisco Reduced-Risk Pesticide List.

If I’m only applying pesticides to one floor in my building. Am I required to notify all tenants, or can I just notify the occupants on that floor?

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Universal notification requires that all tenants be notified. One approach is to post signs in common areas, such as elevators and lobbies. Another is to provide email notification to tenant representatives in a multi-tenant building.

We have notified the tenants 24 hours prior to the pesticide application but now the pest control vendor needs to refill the toxic pesticide. Do we need to use universal notification for a refill?

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Yes, occupants need to be notified at each instance of a pesticide application.

If I am using a certified pest management provider, do I have to complete an IPM plan and IPM tracking tool?

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In this case, an IPM plan is not required. You only need documentation demonstrating the pest company's certification. The IPM tracking tool is still required if using a certified service provider, but the service provider would probably complete that information.

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