Hidden Image

Bronx Pro Group

Bronx County

Bronx County highlighted on a map of New York State over a green and white bokeh dot background.
Read More Case Studies

At the Bronx Pro Group, Staff Training Advances Best Practices and Local Law Implementation for Operations and Maintenance Staff

NYSERDA funding helps a successful, affordable housing property management firm get its operations and maintenance staff the training it needs.

Bronx Pro Group is a community-focused, women-owned, property management firm that specializes in developing sustainable, affordable, multifamily buildings. It owns and manages nearly 3 million square feet of property and prioritizes community development, innovative housing structures, improving quality of life for residents, and other residential services.

A Collaborative Approach to Training

To enhance staff capabilities, and with funding from NYSERDA’s Building Operations and Maintenance Training Program, Bronx Pro partnered with Steven Winter Associates (SWA).

SWA is a consulting firm that helps improve the sustainability of the building industry. Together, Bronx Pro and SWA developed a comprehensive training program aimed at ensuring high-quality maintenance and efficient operations across the Bronx Pro portfolio.

Location:

Bronx County

Training Impact at a Glance:

  • 68 buildings
  • 2.6M sq.ft.
  • 63 staff trained
  • 7 mentors identified

The training program included classroom and online sessions that focused on:

  • Local law regulatory requirements
  • Standardized procedures for steam systems, hydronic systems, ventilation, and more.
  • Alignment between building superintendents and management’s priorities and goals, which included regulatory compliance and carbon reduction initiatives

To support ongoing learning, SWA shared practical tools such as checklists, logbooks, and system manuals.

“I need to be aware of the new rules, what’s changing, the regulatory requirements. Most of the time we deal with boilers and things like that, but we don’t know what the rules state. I believe this course is very important.”

– Dionicio Ramirez, Building Superintendent

People seated around a classroom facing a projector screen. People seated around a classroom facing a projector screen.

Classroom training session.

Staff Development and Mentoring

In addition to technical training, SWA and Bronx Pro collaborated to assess current staff management practices and identify individuals who could serve as peer mentors. Mentorship fosters a sense of value and ownership among both mentors and mentees, encouraging continued professional growth.

The selected mentors, with support from central staff, were tasked with:

Results

Post-training feedback from staff was positive, with many employees reporting increased confidence in independently handling maintenance tasks. Notable improvements included more frequent boiler checks and enhanced troubleshooting practices.

An analysis of energy utility data revealed that over half of the buildings involved in the training program reduced their energy usage compared to the year prior to the program’s implementation. Additionally, heating complaints dropped by 24% during the 2022–2023 heating season, reflecting improved tenant satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Success Story: A Building Superintendent Benefits from Technical Training

Angel Louis Ortiz joined Bronx Pro as a porter in January 2022. Because of his strong performance and eagerness to learn, Angel was promoted to superintendent of 1665 Andrews Avenue. Angel takes great pride in maintaining the property and has made significant strides in improving building system efficiency.

“All the courses I’ve been taking have helped me a lot. [They] helped me understand my unit [and] boilers. …this course made it clear to me [the importance of] Local Laws 88, 87, 97. [I have] more understanding now for improvement. Since I’ve taken over this building I went from a D to an A – changed my light fixtures to LEDs, cleaned all my units, checked my timers, so, I’m getting there. So, these courses do help.”

– Angel Lopez, Building Superintendent

In 2023, Angel attended all operations and maintenance (O&M) training sessions, as well as the Local Law Compliance training. According to survey responses, Angel strongly agreed that the O&M training provided valuable knowledge and skills that he could apply in his role. For example, after attending the Hydronic Boiler & Distribution session, Angel began regularly checking temperatures, boiler settings, filters, and other key components. His proactive approach illustrates the effectiveness of the training program.

The Value of Targeted Training

Bronx Pro’s partnership with SWA has resulted in better-trained staff, improved building operations, and enhanced tenant satisfaction. This collaboration highlights the value of targeted training in advancing affordable housing property management and sustainability goals.

Learn more about how NYSERDA can fund your own clean energy training program.

Visit NYSERDA’s Workforce Development and Training program page, or email [email protected].