September 2011
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After Midnight: Do Something For the Birds

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Migration season is under way, and, once again, BOMA/NY members are heeding the New York Audubon Society’s call to protect birds as they fly south by turning off building lighting at night to prevent the accidental death of our feathered friends.

Known as the Lights Out campaign, the initiative is now in its sixth year and has added a number of new BOMA/NY members to its cause. Participants include Boston Properties, Brookfield Office Properties, The Durst Organization, Related Management Company, Silverstein Properties, SL Green Realty Corp. and Tishman Speyer Properties.

If you have not yet signed up, you can do so at www.nycaudubon.org. All it takes is commitment and the simple steps listed below.

• Turn off lights at night on unoccupied floors and in unused space
• Where possible, close blinds between midnight and dawn
• While working late, turn off ceiling lights and use task lighting

The bonus? You help save the lives of 90,000 night migrating birds, which collide with the illuminated structures — particularly those with glass facades — because the bright lights override their natural navigational cues.

You will also save money, according to NYC Audubon, which has calculated that a 2.5 million sf building turning off all its lights from midnight until dawn will save more than 750,000 kilowatts, or approximately $120,000, this fall.

Make sure to register, and receive the acknowledgement your efforts deserve. The program runs until Nov. 1.