New York City’s efforts to promote greener buildings are yielding significant results, particularly among large buildings over 25,000 square feet. According to recent research by the Urban Green Council, these buildings have shown consistent decreases in energy use for five consecutive years.
The analysis of the city’s 2023 water and energy use data reveals impressive progress:
- 92% of large buildings are estimated to comply with the 2024 carbon limits set by Local Law 97, up from 88% the previous year.
- 93% of office buildings meet the 2024 Local Law 97 requirements.
- 43% of all buildings already meet the stricter 2030 Local Law 97 limits, including 50% of office buildings.
Long-Term Trends
The Urban Green Council’s analysis also highlights significant long-term improvements:
- Site energy use has fallen by 15% since 2010.
- Carbon emissions have dropped by 26% among regularly benchmarked properties over the same period.
These emission reductions were calculated using benchmarked energy data and emissions rates from New York City’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
Factors Contributing to Success
Several factors have contributed to this success:
Policy Initiatives: Local Law 97, part of the Climate Mobilization Act, has been a driving force behind these improvements.
Building Efficiency Gains: Upgrades in lighting, sub-metering, and improved operations and maintenance have played crucial roles.
Cleaner Energy Grid: The transition to cleaner energy sources has significantly impacted emission reductions.
New York City’s progress in reducing building emissions demonstrates the effectiveness of combining policy initiatives with technological advancements and operational improvements. As the city continues to push towards its goal of net-zero emissions for buildings by 2050, these trends provide encouraging evidence of the feasibility of large-scale urban sustainability efforts.
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