NYC Officials Push for Sustainable Construction

The city continues to trailblazer as a trendsetter.

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October 11, 2024

Author : Alex Bustillos

The New York City skyline, an iconic symbol of global power and culture, is now at the forefront of efforts to fight climate change. While these buildings reflect the city’s economic might, they also account for nearly 70% of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. 

Decarbonizing the built environment is crucial in reducing these emissions, and leading the charge is the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). NYCEDC is spearheading initiatives in circular construction, low-carbon building materials, and climate technology to make NYC’s construction sector more sustainable.

Recent policies like the Climate Mobilization Act of 2019 have set a strong foundation for building decarbonization in NYC. Local Law 97, a central piece of this act, enforces strict energy efficiency and emissions requirements for large buildings. While operational carbon- GHG emissions from building energy use- has been addressed, the city is now focusing on embodied carbon, which covers the emissions from a building’s entire life cycle, from construction to disposal.

To further this cause, Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order in 2023 requiring low-carbon materials and electric construction equipment in municipal projects, pushing the city closer to its goal of 100?rbon neutrality by 2050. Additionally, NYC’s Green Economy Action Plan highlights building decarbonization as a major driver for economic growth, projecting that nearly 50% of the city’s 400,000 green-collar jobs by 2040 will be related to decarbonizing buildings.

NYCEDC has introduced its Circular Design & Construction Guidelines, NYC’s first comprehensive framework for reducing waste and embodied carbon in construction. Moving away from the traditional “take, make, waste” model, the guidelines advocate for a circular economy, where materials are reused or recycled. NYCEDC plans to implement these guidelines in its $9 billion capital portfolio starting in 2024, with the SPARC Kips Bay project- a 2 million-square-foot innovation center- being the first to apply them. By using these strategies, the project expects to cut carbon emissions by 26,400 metric tons, which is equivalent to removing nearly 5,800 cars from the road.

NYCEDC’s Mass Timber Studio is another pivotal initiative promoting sustainable construction materials. Mass timber, a low-carbon alternative to steel and concrete, not only lowers emissions but also speeds up construction timelines. The Studio supports early-stage projects to incorporate mass timber, with grants awarded to design teams across all five boroughs, especially in environmental justice communities. As NYC works to expand mass timber use, the Department of Buildings is collaborating to create regulatory pathways for this sustainable material.

NYCEDC’s Pilots at BAT program allows climate tech companies to test their products in real-world conditions at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, helping accelerate the development of building decarbonization solutions. This testing ground offers companies the infrastructure to validate new technologies, including systems for plumbing, heating, electrical, and even waterfront access.

In addition to decarbonization, NYC is also tackling climate resilience through projects like the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) initiative. Part of a larger $2.7 billion project called The BIG U, ESCR is transforming Lower Manhattan’s shoreline to protect 60,000 residents and valuable real estate from rising sea levels and storm surges. Inspired by the Dutch concept of “living with water,” this approach aims to integrate flood resilience into the urban landscape, making the city safer without sacrificing public space.

Projects like Asser Levy Playground, equipped with floodwalls and retractable gates, and Stuyvesant Cove Park, featuring flood barriers that blend into the landscape, are prime examples of how NYC is adapting to an increasingly unpredictable climate.

These combined efforts in sustainable construction, climate resilience, and cutting-edge technology put NYC on track to becoming a greener and more resilient city, setting a model for urban centers around the world grappling with similar challenges.

Category : Green Economy Green Construction Local Government Market Watch

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