commentCracking Codes with Green Strategies
In July 2008, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg sent a request to the New York chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (called the Urban Green Council) for a comprehensive review of the current NYC building codes. After eighteen months of evaluation, the “Green Codes Task Force” has released a series of 111 proposals to update NYC’s construction laws and regulations with green recommendations, calling it “the most comprehensive analysis of green building codes ever conducted by a municipality.”
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The Task Force is made up of over 200 local and national industry experts and chaired by Russell Unger, Executive Director of the Urban Green Council. “This report represents the best ideas of some of the greatest minds on green building,” says Unger.
The 600-page testimonial (including an executive summary) impacts both new construction and renovations with proposals ranging from water efficiency to low-cost solutions for improving public health. Highlights include a measure to insulate the exterior of high-rise buildings and another to make buildings more durable for impending effects of climate change. Simple solutions involve managing overheated apartments and requiring stores to turn off lights after closing time.
Ashok Gupta, Director of Energy Policy at the Natural Resource Defense Council, says that right now, codes are simply the bare requirements. “We can do better; the best practices go above and beyond regulations,” Gupta says. “We build momentum by raising the minimum. It’s an ongoing process.”
Recognizing existing problems with financing and lease structures, the panel says refurbished building codes will serve as a foundation for PlaNYC, the long-term strategy for sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the city. The other “pieces of the puzzle” (incentives, rebates, and other financing options) need to “parallel” the implementation of these proposals.
This report comes on the heels of recent legislation, known as the “Greener, Greater Buildings Plan,” that seeks to reduce the city’s carbon footprint by 5 percent; updated codes would obviously aid this effort.
The executive summary and full report can be found at: www.urbangreencouncil.org/greencodes/.
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