The world knows New York City as the metropolitan hub with its towering skyscrapers and fast-paced lifestyle. However, something is changing in this city, with its growing carbon footprint and increasing temperatures.
Every building in this city contributes to a significant chunk of the total NYC carbon emission, and it is time to do something about it. This is why policy makers have come up with an amazing plan and called it the LL97.
This requires most building owners in the city to comply with certain regulations to lower the building’s total carbon emissions. This raises the question of what building owners in NYC can do about it. So, let’s answer this question with a deep dive into this blog that answers this question with the right information and context!
What is the Real Problem With Carbon Emissions in NYC?
The problem with carbon emissions in NYC is nothing unique and is now very common in almost every place in the world. The buildings in these large cities contribute to a massive chunk of the city’s total emissions.
The reasons behind this are simple, but people must acknowledge and understand them. Since buildings need energy sourced from burning fossil fuels, it indirectly contributes to the increase in greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.
These gasses that result from burning coal and natural gas contribute to climate change not just in the city but around the globe. These apparent effects of climate change include rising sea levels, warmer weather, extreme weather events, and so on.
Also Read: How Building Management Systems Will Help Achieve Compliance
What can Building Owners in NYC Do About It?
Not many people realize this, but even the slightest efforts from building owners in New York can make a significant difference. It all boils down to taking the right strategic measures at the right time, and the right time is now. So, let’s break down these strategic measures and help you get a better understanding:
Strategy 1: Prioritize Sustainability with Design and Construction
The first strategy NYC building owners can use to their advantage is prioritizing sustainability in design and construction. Thankfully, there are many different ways to do that, and some of the most effective ones include:
- Use Sustainable Materials: Using sustainable construction materials is one of the best things you can do as an NYC building owner. You must try and use low-emission and recycled materials to keep carbon emissions NYC under check.
- Adhere to Green Building Standards: The Next thing you can do is adhere to all the relevant green building standards. One popular of these standards is the LEED (Leadership Energy and Environmental Design), which ensures that your building uses sustainable practices.
- Conserve Water: Water is scarce, and your building must have a design that conserves water for good. This requires simple rainwater harvesting measures or even low-flow fixtures to make the most of available resources.
Strategy 2: Ensure Your Upgrades are Energy-Efficient
The next strategy here is to ensure every new upgrade in your building uses energy-efficient solutions. Some of the simple ways to realize this goal include:
- Optimize Your HVAC System: Optimizing your HVAC system requires a lot of energy, which is a great way to save energy. This does not take much, but simple maintenance, upgrades, and installing energy-efficient systems are more than enough.
- Upgrade Lights: When it comes to energy efficiency, your conventional lighting solutions were never designed to meet that goal. This is why you must use more LED lighting solutions that last years and offer better energy efficiency.
- Use Renewable Energy: Renewable energy is no longer a thing of the future but a feasible reality today. Consider installing solar panels and small wind turbines along with other renewable energy systems to get the best results.
Strategy 3: Enhance Your Building’s Operational Energy Efficiency
While efficient upgrades with sustainable designs can help, making specific efforts to enhance the building’s operational energy efficiency can be a game-changer. As complex as it may sound, there are simple ways to realize this goal in almost no time. So, let’s check out some of these ways:
- Better Tenant Engagement: As a building owner, you cannot make all the difference alone without your tenant in the picture. This makes it important for you to engage with your tenants and encourage them to save energy. You can ask them to adopt energy-efficient solutions and reduce consumption whenever possible.
- Use Automation Systems: Thanks to the latest advancements in technology, you can easily access building automation solutions. These systems will control everything from heating to lighting and optimize energy consumption. You can even use these systems to evaluate weather conditions and occupancy and adjust settings accordingly.
- Use Energy Management Programs: Using energy management programs is one of the best things you can do to enhance the building’s energy efficiency. Things like benchmarking and energy consumption audits can help determine opportunities. Accordingly, you can take the right steps to make the most of these opportunities and save more energy with minimal effort.
Also Read: Upgrading Your Lighting to Comply with NYC Local Laws 88 and 97
Common Energy Efficiency Challenges for NYC Building Owners
While the strategies mentioned above are very helpful, you must remain aware of some challenges you might have to deal with. These challenges include:
- Resistance from Tenants: Not every tenant will get on board with what you say, and some might not even understand you. In these cases, you will have to address their queries about what are NYC carbon emissions and convince them.
- Higher Upfront: While going green is rewarding in the long run, the huge upfront cost might be an issue for many. You must make the most government incentives and save costs wherever possible.
- Permits and Regulations: Every NYC building owner complaints about permits and regulations. Regulation changes might be a hurdle, but you can easily overcome it with the right competence.
Final Thoughts
The world is changing relatively quickly, and climate change is a major part of this change. This makes it important that owners in NYC adapt to these changes and do their best to reduce their carbon footprint. This is not a short-term process, but you can overcome all challenges with enough patience. If you need any assistance with almost anything related to the LL97, then reach out to the NYC LL97 Compliance Consultants today!
