NEW YORK—New York buildings commissioner Robert LiMandri recently announced the launch of the New York City Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC), the first energy code developed specifically for New York City. The NYCECC amends the New York State Energy Conservation Construction Code, which previously set efficiency standards for construction in New York City. The NYCECC is more stringent than the state code, requiring thousands of more building projects to meet energy efficiency requirements. The NYCECC was introduced as legislation by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and New York City Council speaker Christine C. Quinn in April 2009 as part of the Greener, Greater, Buildings Plan, a six-part plan to make the City’s existing buildings energy efficient, and is a major component of PlaNYC, the City’s long-term sustainability blueprint that seeks to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030.
“The creation of the New York City Energy Code is a landmark achievement for this Department and a major step forward in making this City more environmentally friendly,” said commissioner LiMandri. “Our new code requires more buildings to be energy efficient when making repairs, which will help reduce energy consumption, energy costs and the City’s carbon footprint. These new standards will improve the quality of life for generations to come.”
While the technical standards outlined under the NYCECC are unchanged from the state code, the NYCECC requires many more projects to comply with energy efficiency standards. Under the state code, alteration or renovation work that affects less than 50 percent of a building system does not have to comply with the state energy requirements. Last year, the Buildings Department received more than 50,000 applications for these smaller alteration projects that were exempt from state energy code requirements.
The NYCECC also requires projects that involve multiple applications to comply as a whole with energy standards. This requires applicants to consider the efficiency of their project in its entirety and allows more flexibility in design.
Applications for new construction or renovation work must now comply with the NYCECC, which includes efficiency standards for:
• Building envelope. A building’s roof, walls and foundation (envelope) must have proper insulation and sealing to prevent energy loss. Windows and skylights must be rated to minimize heat transmission.
• Heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and water heating equipment. A building’s heating, ventilating, air-conditioning (HVAC) and service hot water equipment must have proper insulation and sealing at ducts and connecting pipes as well as controls that minimize energy use.
• Lighting and power. A building’s lighting and power systems must be designed in line with lighting power density standards and have controls that minimize energy use.
Buildings in New York City generate nearly 80 percent of the City’s carbon emissions. In addition to the NYCECC, the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan seeks to meet PlaNYC’s carbon reduction goals with legislation that requires large buildings to undertake an annual benchmarking of energy consumption, perform energy audits and upgrade their lighting systems and install sub-meters. Building owners interested in learning more about PlaNYC and the City’s sustainability initiatives can visit www.nyc.gov for more information.
