background
CO2 and other greenhouse gas emission cause global warming.
CO2 emissions up 2.7%, world 'off course' to curb warming: study (phys.org)
implementation
2024: The carbon limits begin
2025: The buildings over 250k gross sqft must start submitting their compliance report.
2029: The emission limits become more stringent and applied to more buildings.
Incentives for Multi-Family and Solar Program
2020.07.09_urban_green_building_emissions_law_summary_revised_11.17.2020.pdf (urbangreencouncil.org)
Emission caps
"Approximately 3,000 multifamily properties will need to lower their emissions before 2024
Only 11 percent of offices are over the 2024 emissions cap
Hotels are more energy and carbon intensive than offices and multifamily buildings in NYC"
penalty calculation
Every May after the first on May 1, 2025
co2 calculation
higher goals
From 2030, more buildings will be included, and more stringent emission cap will be applied. This means the building that avoided a fine in 2023 can face a fine afterwards: $0 to $13,202 since 2030 and to $57,395 since 2035. Or the building that received an ignorable fine in 2024 can face a unignorable fine afterwards.
2,115 tCO2e/year since 2024
1,144 tCO2/year since 2030
350 tCO2/year since 2035
implications
Challenges: Balancing Incentives to Maximize Emission Reduction | CBCNY
Building owners/corporations/residents' legal battle began: It’s official: Local Law 97 Has Been Challenged in Court. Will it Hold Up to Judicial Scrutiny?: Hodgson Russ LLP
Capital & Strategies: High capital entities can plan to pay fines or do carbon-trading that can be smaller than the improvement cost. Low capital entities can implement a bag of word-of-the-street strategies without knowing the effectiveness of each after following the incentive programs. The age of a building plays a significant role in financing and compliance.
More building energy specialists will emerge.
Image credit: Multifamily Buildings Low-Carbon Pathways Program - NYSERDA
perspectives
The critical things for architects and designers.
Align the design interests and the benefits of sustainability for an integrated solution.
Understand the energetics of the building deep enough to give birth to design actions: a) whole building, b) envelope system, c) core & structure
Recognize the role of performance analyses and integrate them earliest possible in the design process: a) validation in renovations, b) base-case establishment in new constructions.
Liability-conscious high-fidelity estimation of design alternatives for whether it is an existing or new building: a) in-house, b) consultant.
Find and take energy efficient strategies in all design phases, both passive and active, beyond the common-sense selections on efficient building products, esp. affecting the occupant energy consciousness.
Go beyond the LL97 metrics to promote occupants' health, especially the indoor air quality and thermal comfort.