February 2015
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BOMA/NY Gets Down to Work on Mayoral Task Force to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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Following up on his pledge last September to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent as of 2050, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio assembled "a working group made up of some of the city's most important players in real estate, labor and energy" to develop the plan to reach that milestone, and the players got down to business at their first meeting earlier this month.

Representing BOMA/NY on the 40-member panel, or Technical Working Group, is our Director of Legislative Affairs, Daniel Avery, who was joined by fellow professionals from REBNY, the Urban Green Council, the New York Building Congress, Vornado, Con Edison, NYSERDA and leaders from the city’s planning commission and housing authority.

"We are excited and gratified to be a member of this working group," says BOMA/NY President Thomas L. Hill, RPA. "Along with REBNY and others in the real estate, energy, and sustainability sectors, we look forward to assisting the Administration in developing an intelligent and reasonable path forward to reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

The 2050 goal has been subdivided into more manageable-sized tasks and the initial effort "One City: Built to Last," as reported previously in BOMAfacts, is a 10-year plan to retrofit private and public buildings to be more energy efficient. This takes on greater importance in New York as it is estimated that 75-80 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions in the city come from buildings—not cars, as is the case in cities such as Los Angeles.

The Mayor pointed out he had brought the private sector into the Technical Working Group for their expertise and to further promote the idea of private owners voluntarily performing retrofits. If they do not perform them, they may face mandates. "We made a sweeping commitment to retrofit our city’s building stock, leading by example in public buildings and partnering with the private sector to do the same," de Blasio said in a statement. "With the launch of the Technical Working Group, we’re another step closer to making these ambitious goals a reality. I’m grateful to each member for their commitment and expertise, and look forward to partnering to ensure a stronger, more sustainable New York City."

At the heart of the first step is a technical study by HDR, a national architecture and engineering company that will study energy patterns, evaluate performance standards and recommend emissions reduction targets for existing buildings and new construction. The working group will then establish performance targets for buildings to upgrade their energy profiles. Upgrade methods range from the simple—insulation and light bulbs—to the comprehensiveness of retrofitting or installing new facades. The group is also tasked with setting compliance timelines and deadlines, and determine when the city should enforce mandates when landlords do not comply.

The real estate community has been included from the start, city officials acknowledged, so that any controversy that could arise from the mandates can be discussed in advance.