Going green is more than just an aspiration for Diamond Properties, a Mount Kisco-based company that offers office, retail, medical and warehouse space throughout the Hudson Valley and Connecticut. It recently became one of the first businesses in the county to achieve the honor of Westchester Green Business-Certified (WGB-Certified), as part of the Westchester Green Business Challenge (WGBC).
“Me personally and as a company, we care about sustainability,” said Jim Diamond, CEO of Diamond Properties, at a ceremony celebrating its designation on September 8 at indoor entertainment complex Grand Prix New York, a Diamond Properties tenant and another WGBC member. “It makes sense economically and it makes sense for the environment.”
The company started its sustainability effort two years ago when it began using solar panels on the roof of its property at 333 North Bedford Road in Mount Kisco (which houses Grand Prix New York). The roof is estimated to be finished in November, with all three acres of the roof covered. Eventually, the goal of the solar panel effort is to have 14 aces of paneling spread over six properties that have pledged to go green. Solar paneling lowers the costs of electrical power for tenants, and lowers the number of carbon emissions that Diamond Properties is responsible for.
The WGBC was started in 2009 as an attempt to encourage Westchester businesses to become environmentally sustainable and still save money, according to westchestergov.com. Currently, the WGBC has over 275 members including New York Presbyterian Hospital, Down to Earth Markets, and Heineken USA.
The addition of Westchester Green Business-Certified initiative started in early 2014, as an add-on to the initial challenge. The certification effort in Westchester County provides businesses with programs, necessary tools, and support to get sustainability projects up and running, and to help businesses achieve their goals. Currently, in addition to Diamond Properties, Croton-on-Hudson ice cream shop The Blue Pig, and commercial real estate firm Reckson (a division of SL Green), have also achieved certification.
The next round of WGB Certification is starting September 23, and the county is looking for 20 businesses to participate. Along with the tools and support, WGB Certified offers assistance in developing a well-rounded plan for sustainability, in which measurable results can be achieved.
Companies that meet the criteria can register for the next round of WGB-Certified at climatechange.westchestergov.com.
