The mission
Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT) consistently raises the bar for sustainability and tenant engagement. Best known as the owner of the world-famous Empire State Building and its iconic Observatory Experience, the REIT owns and manages a portfolio of office, retail, and multifamily assets in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area.
Committed to top-tier healthy and sustainable spaces for their tenants, ESRT continuously seeks innovative ways to stand out, promote sustainability, and support their tenants to achieve their respective sustainability goals.
The solution
In partnership with Alvéole, ESRT brought urban beekeeping initiatives to 100% of their Manhattan portfolio.
Bees can be found buzzing on all of ESRT’s office, retail, and multifamily properties throughout New York City, including the iconic Empire State Building. Through beekeeper visits, interactive workshops, and Alvéole’s online tenant engagement platform, tenants can connect with nature in a unique and meaningful way.
These experiences not only foster a deeper connection to nature but also reinforce ESRT’s commitment to sustainability. The initiative provides tangible environmental and engagement data, to strengthen ESRT’s reporting.
“ESRT expanded the partnership with Alvéole to 100% of our Manhattan portfolio as part of our commitment to urban biodiversity and to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators. Not only do these pollinators provide delicious local honey; honeybees are vital parts of our ecosystem with 90% of plant species and 75% of food crops reliant on pollinators to reproduce.”
– Dana Robbins Schneider, SVP, Director of Energy and Sustainability
The results
Commitment to biodiversity
ESRT’s commitment to biodiversity aligns with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework – just like Alvéole’s solutions. For ESRT, an urban beekeeping program serves as a highly visible initiative that allows them to promote biodiversity and environmental awareness amongst their tenants in a more tangible way.
Data from the program contributes to sustainability disclosures, which showcase measurable action in urban biodiversity.
Tenant engagement
Tenants have embraced the initiative, with over 3,000 people reached in 2024 through beekeeper visits, workshops, the online engagement platform, and—of course—gifts of honey produced by the ESRT bees.
In 2024, more than 20 tenant workshops were held across ESRT properties. Participants learned about pollinators and the essential role they play in the ecosystem. 1,200 jars of honey harvested from ESRT rooftops were shared with tenants to foster a sense of community and connection to the program and their building.
Additionally, ESRT supports tenants in tracking and reporting their own sustainability efforts through this partnership to reinforce its broader commitment to environmental education and awareness.
Awards and certifications
ESRT’s sustainability leadership has earned top industry recognition. In 2024, the Empire State Building received the TOBY International Earth Award, which highlights its excellence in sustainability practices. TOBY Award winners must demonstrate all the ways they stand out from the crowd, and Alvéole’s solutions are one of the ways the building differentiates itself.
ESRT has also achieved GRESB’s highest score of all Listed Companies in the Americas for two consecutive years and the Empire State Building has been awarded LEED v4.1 EBOM Gold certification. Alvéole’s solutions are eligible for points in both green building certification frameworks.
Positive PR and media attention
ESRT’s marketing team have embraced the bees and all of the unique promotional opportunities the initiative presents. The bees make frequent appearances on ESRT’s Instagram page and blog, and have starred in viral videos from accounts like Time Out New York.
The ESRT bees have even graced the pages of the New York Times in an article that showcases the most iconic NYC buildings that participate in urban beekeeping.
