On June 27, the City Council held a hearing on a raft of energy efficiency bills, several of which we submitted comments on. One, Int. No. 1632, requires buildings to develop energy efficiency scores and grades to be posted in the lobby and disclosed at the time of sale or lease. A second, Int. No. 1629, requires new buildings and substantial renovations (costing half the building’s value or more) to meet stretch codes considerably stricter than the State code in 2017 and 2019, and to achieve a low energy intensity standard starting in 2025. A third bill, Int. No. 1637, would set up an ongoing energy policy task force.
Following opening remarks from several members of the Council’s Environmental Protection Committee, the Administration, represented by the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, DOB, and DCAS (the agency that manages the City’s buildings, as some of the proposed bills only apply to the City), testified mostly in favor of the above-mentioned bills, and questioned the need for some of the other bills. The Administration did oppose the use of a source energy intensity metric (it is a measure of energy use per square foot of space for a year) in Int. No. 1632, because it is not really a measure of energy efficiency.
We submitted testimony opposing 1632 and 1629 as written. We questioned the use of a source energy intensity metric in both bills because it would largely reflect tenant energy use and not building efficiency. In addition, we questioned the feasibility of the energy efficiency mandates in the timeframe provided, and we called on additional study and discussion to develop reasonable and realistic goals and proper incentives and other tools to reach those goals. We supported 1637 and requested membership on the task force.
It seems likely that some version of these draft bills will become law. It also seems that the Council and the Administration is willing to work with stakeholders over the next bit of time (probably measured in months, but it is impossible to really know) to amend these bills. As always, we will work with our allies to try to shape this process so that we get laws that are more rational and fair.
