Simple steps can dramatically reduce costs.

Small-to medium-sized commercial buildings typically have older, less efficient heating and air-conditioning systems. Inefficiencies in energy utilization can go unnoticed for extended periods of time. Too often, building owners only think about energy management in the dead of the winter, when tenants are clamoring for more heat, or during sweltering summer stretches when air-conditioning systems are strained to the max and energy bills go through the roof. At Winoker Realty Company, we manage nearly two and a half million square feet of commercial property throughout Manhattan and we know it's often the little things that make a big difference when it comes to your energy bill.

Especially in older Manhattan buildings, it is critically important to make sure that your steam heat systems are well maintained, and that all returns and steam traps are kept clear of debris that can inhibit the optimum flow of heat throughout your building.

We often find that tenants in some of these old loft style buildings which do not have the benefit of central air-conditioning rely on window mounted air-conditioners. These window air-conditioning units remain in place year-round.

These tenants often experience severe heat loss during the winter months as cold air enters through gaps between the upper and lower window sashes because the sashes no longer meet.

Building superintendents, responding to complaints from these tenants, crank up the heat, which causes tenants without window air-conditioners to swelter. They, in turn, open their windows to reduce the temperature, further wasting energy.

A simple solution we've employed at our buildings is applying a foam seal where the gap between the window sashes has been created by the installation of the air-conditioning units. This layer of insulation helps keep heat from escaping. By keeping the heat more uniformly distributed throughout the building, tenants are less likely to open their windows to reduce the temperature in their offices.

Another year-round source of energy savings found by Winoker is the use of compact fluorescent lighting in place of regular incandescent bulbs throughout our properties.

These lights not only provide more light while using less energy, but they also generate less heat, reducing the amount of air-conditioning necessary to keep buildings cool in the summer.

Additional savings are realized because the compact fluorescent bulbs have a longer life span than incandescent bulbs and therefore require less maintenance hours for changing bulbs.

Some other tips for reducing energy consumption include the following:

* Use Daylight: Keep windows and skylights clean and clear.

* Heating Tips: Reduce heat in unused spaces, during holidays and on weekends, as lease requirements allow. Always be cognizant of "freeze protection"!

* Energy Management: "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it." Check regularly on your consumption of electricity, gas and oil. Interview and negotiate with several fuel oil suppliers to get the best price on fuel oil. Consider central purchasing to increase your buying power.

Consider purchasing electric energy from an electric energy re-supplier. They can tailor a plan that best suits your needs with programs that include incentives and sales tax breaks.

* Turn Off Those Lights!: Instruct security or janitorial personnel to turn off lights after business hours.

At Winoker Realty, we have decades of experience in dealing with the unique problems that arise in older commercial buildings.

As one of the few true "third-party" management companies in the city, we treat every building as if it were our own.

PHILIP RUCK 

DIRECTOR OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

WINOKER REALTY COMPANY, INC.