Hello everyone! Today I’m making note of some activity in the City Council and the Mayor’s office from this past year (that have nothing to do with term limits!), as well as a few City-authored, green building related reports. Rumblings of green legislation supporting the implementation of PlaNYC are omnipresent at the city these days. Three pieces of legislation so far include a measure to require disclosure of energy and water performance to renters or buyers, a “NYC Climate Protection Act”, and setting additional green building standards for City capital projects.
Starting with legislation –
Int. 800 / Proposed Int. 476-A (Recchia Jr., Avella, Brewer, Fidler, Gentile, James, Liu, Martinez, McMahon, Nelson, Seabrook, Weprin, White Jr., and Mark-Viverito). Here’s the verbatim summary:
“The owner of any dwelling unit in a building containing no more than 4 dwelling units; (ii) co-op; or (iii) condominium for sale or rent in the city shall provide to prospective purchasers information regarding the energy and water use…
* a list of and whether or not such appliances qualify for Energy Star
* a list of water closets and whether or not [they] utilize more water than allowed…in compliance with the section 6295 of title 42 of the United States code
* the monthly cost of electricity, gas, oil and water, disaggregated by each such cost, for the preceding two years or for the time [of] ownership…whichever is shorter.
The information shall include an explanation of the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency and water conservation, an explanation of the regulation relating to water closets in the energy policy and conservation act, an explanation of Energy Star, and a list of measures an owner or tenant may follow to improve the energy efficiency of and water conservation in a 1-4 family home, co-op or condominium.”
Owners: what do you think of this?
Int. 756 (Too many Council Members to list!)
Creates the “New York City Climate Protection Act” – this has gone back and forth a few times within the Council and Mayor’s office.
Int. 798 (Rivera, Gentile, Palma, Seabrook and Mark-Viverito)
Relates to green building standards for certain capital projects in New York. (
Local Law 86 is the current green standard for City projects)
Elsewhere in the City,
The
DDC has a nice listing of its
green projects, and its
reports/ guidebooks, including a manual on
green roofs.
Over the summer,
PlanNYC 2030 released a report on its
plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of City buildings.
And unrelated to legislation, here’s an interesting piece on
smart metering technology for households.
Next we’ll take a look at how some of the previously mentioned, passed legislation is being implemented; an overview of green home energy programs and how to use them; and even some federal legislation that still might see the light of day before the transfer of power. Talk soon.
