Billone of Flower City speaks about "Going Green in Real Estate"

On August 21st, John Billone of Flower City Management addressed the chapter 58 membership on his personal experiences in utilizing green technology in the renovation of the Medical Arts Building. The building is only one of three buildings in the city that is in the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program of the U.S. Department of Energy. The entire building infrastructure has been fitted with geo-thermal heat pumps that use the ambient temperature of the ground 240' below the surface to both heat and cool the building. A closedloop system of pipes carries the heated and/or cooled water throughout the network of shops, offices and apartments. This innovative system gives tenants their own thermostat and the ultimate in zone heating and cooling that's 75% more efficient than the most efficient gas furnaces and 40% greater efficiency than modern oil furnaces. 20% of the roof surface features a green roof, designed to naturally cool the building roof in summer and insulate it during the winter. The plantings on the roof create an urban garden alive with color and fragrance all summer long.