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The construction industry has been increasingly focused on meeting ever-tightening codes and achieving higher ratings in sustainability certification programs (e.g., LEED, Passive House, etc.). These standards do a good job of raising the bar, but there is a new bar in town and we’re not talking about whiskey.
The construction industry has been increasingly focused on meeting ever-tightening codes and achieving higher ratings in sustainability certification programs (e.g., LEED, Passive House, etc.). These standards do a good job of raising the bar, but there is a new bar in town and we’re not talking about whiskey.
NYC’s Local Law 97 of 2019 establishes carbon emissions limits for buildings 25,000 square feet and larger. These emissions limits, which are based on current building performance data, will begin in 2024 and will rachet down in 2030 and beyond. While we continue to work with building owners and portfolio managers of existing buildings (“What Does the Climate Mobilization Act Mean for Building Owners?”), we need to make sure that new buildings and major renovations are set up for success. Developers, designers, and construction teams must take LL97 into account during design, construction and turnover to protect the value of these new assets.
A developer or asset manager’s least favorite word is probably uncertainty, and now there’s a whole new host of uncertainties to think about:
No matter where you are in the concept, design, and construction process, we can act now to help the buildings we work on reduce their carbon emissions. Some changes now may help the project avoid necessary, yet costly, remediation in 2024, 2030, and beyond. Some important considerations:
The Motto: Sometimes you need to go backwards to go forward
The Motto: Get the core and shell right
The shell – The building enclosure will (hopefully) be there for a while. You do not want to reskin in 5-10 years:
The core – As an industry, we need to seriously consider the impact of infrastructure and build in the flexibility to adapt to new requirements in the future:
Plan for and maximize solar now:
The Motto: Watch it.
Motto: Train and Track.
Design, development, and construction teams: it is your responsibility to aid the transition to operations.
Energy conservation and renewable energy production make sense now, but both have payback potential by avoiding penalties and taking advantage of carbon trading built into LL97.
Feeling overwhelmed? Give us a call to talk about what opportunities make the most sense for your project or portfolio.
Contributor: Kelly Westby, Commissioning Director
Steven Winter Associates