New York City approves legislation to reduce greenhouse gases from its largest buildings
NEW YORK CITY—The New York City Council has passed legislation requiring reductions of fossil-fuel consumption in buildings 25,000 square feet or larger. The city’s Green New Deal is also supported by Mayor Bill de Blasio and was signed into law on Earth Day.
The package of 10 bills includes other mandates sharing the same goal: greenhouse gas reduction. The buildings directly affected by the legislation are believed to produce two-thirds of the city’s total GHG.
The legislation states that buildings of more than 25,000 square feet (2,300 square meters) must reduce their emissions by 40 percent by 2030, compared with 2005 levels. In addition, new skyscrapers will only be approved if they meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency. Buildings affected by the bill will need to begin scaling back their emissions beginning in 2024. Religious institutions, hospitals and others are allowed some modifications.
The legislation is a signature part of the city’s effort to reduce overall emissions by 80 percent by 2050. The laws will require operational changes as well as equipment upgrades in order to lower power consumption.
Despite the costs and challenges ahead, the new bills have supporters, who point out that those building owners who are unable to attain the required energy cuts or afford sufficient energy-saving upgrades will be able to instead purchase renewable energy from the grid and carbon credits to help meet the city’s goals.
“In recognition that some buildings just use more energy, [there is] an alternative compliance path,” Jeffrey Perlman, founder and president of Bright Power, a firm that handles building energy audits and green retrofitting, told Crain’s New York Business. “Buildings that are 40 percent over their target need only reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent over 2018 levels. Additionally, buildings can purchase carbon offsets for 10 percent of their emissions and renewable energy to offset emissions from electricity.”