Tag: nyc

May 9, 2020

Monthly Forum: Virtual Edition – Quantifying Climate Change

Quantifying the effects of climate change can be a daunting task to even the brightest scientific minds! To help demystify this complex topic, GreenHomeNYC is bringing leading climate change experts together to discuss their most recent efforts around quantifying our changing environment, and what it means for New York City.     Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Place: Online   Speakers at this event will include:   Susan Golden /// Environmental educator and member of the Climate Reality Project Leadership Corps Luis Ortiz /// Postdoctoral research fellow with the Urban Systems Lab at The New School Peter Marsters /// Research Associate at the Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy   REGISTER HERE!   (more…)

January 6, 2020

Green Careers: Corporate Social Responsibility Panel Discussion

Join us for our first 2020 Green Careers meeting for a panel discussion + Q&A with individuals who work in corporate social responsibility.   Corporate social responsibility (CSR), is how companies pursue sustainability goals, give back to their local communities, and make general efforts to improve society via the lens of business. This is your opportunity to ask the professionals about their career history and how you too could possibly transition your career into related work. Informal networking will follow at a local venue.   Speakers include:  Judy Albert – The New School Julie Jack – APCO Worldwide Ashley Hartman – Verisk   (more…)

March 3, 2019

Can NYC’s Energy Use Data Save The Earth?

By Warren Berger   On Earth Day 2015, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced One New York City: The Plan for a Strong and Just City (OneNYC). As part of the plan, Mayor de Blasio committed New York City to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050 from 2005 levels (80 x 50), with an interim target to reduce emissions 40 percent by 2030 (40 x 30). But meeting those targets requires a good understanding of where the City’s emissions come from. New York City Buildings cause 75% of New York City’s carbon emissions. The residential sector accounts for 37 percent of the City’s total emissions, making it the largest single source of emissions in the City. Collecting energy use data in these buildings is certainly a good place to start, but will that be enough to meet the City’s aggressive goals and address the climate change challenge in time?  

According to the New York State Energy and Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) report, Realizing Measurable Savings in Multifamily Building: Results from NYSERDA’s Multifamily Performance Program:

 

“It is critical to the growth of the energy efficiency market that we improve the accuracy of savings predictions to decrease the risk involved with investing in efficiency. The first step in doing so is to track and analyze actual savings data to discover changes that practitioners or program administrators can make to improve the accuracy of savings predictions and to discover which factors cannot be changed so that building owners and investors better understand the inherent risks and the likelihood of project success.”

  Local Laws Aim to Capture Energy Use Data   New York City’s Local Law 84 of 2009 (LL84) requires annual benchmarking data to be submitted by owners of buildings with more than 50,000 square feet for public disclosure, creating transparency for energy and water usage and informing building owners and tenants on how to make their buildings more efficient. Local Law 133 of 2016 (LL133) expands the list of buildings required to benchmark to include mid-size buildings from 25,000 to 50,000 square feet.   Local Law 87 of 2009 (LL87) requires covered buildings spanning 50,000 square feet or more to audit their energy consumption and conduct retro-commissioning of building systems, including the building envelope, boiler, domestic hot water, ventilation and lighting.   Compliance is Complex   What has the data collection process taught us about what it takes to motivate action and effect change in the city’s residential buildings?   For one thing, it’s clear from benchmarking extensions that gaining compliance isn’t a simple matter. Early last year, the City announced a deadline extension for submission of 2017 benchmarking reports for mid-sized buildings to December 31, 2018. In September 2018, the deadline was extended again, this time to February 1, 2019.   In 2018, the New York City Department of Buildings and the NYC Benchmarking Help Center publicized three walk-in help sessions, which took place in May, October and November, for building owners who want more information about compliance. The center also maintains a telephone and e-mail service for owners who want more information, assistance, and answers to questions about the NYC Benchmarking Law. (more…)

January 24, 2016

New York City Energy Water Performance Map

  Last month, the NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability released the New York City Energy & Water Performance Map, developed in partnership with the New York University Center for Urban Science and Progress.   This website makes NYC Local Law 84 publicly disclosed data much easier to use by mapping all reported buildings and providing a well-designed set of analysis tools.  The Map shows how buildings compare to other similar buildings in energy and water management, and identifies top performing buildings in the city. It also empowers New Yorkers to understand the energy, water, and climate change impacts of the spaces they rent and buy.   Visit the NYC Benchmarking Visualization Website for more information and to access the Map.