As building owners strive to comply with the FISP, they need to keep in mind that the 2020 NYC Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC), a wholly new, far more stringent code designed to ensure, as the DOB notes, “that the construction of new buildings, additions and alterations will meet the 80% greenhouse gas reduction by 2050” took effect on May 12, 2020.
A mid-February presentation on FISP Cycle 9 and the Climate Mobilization Act outlined strategies to navigate the multiple mandates. The event was hosted by CANY —a building enclosure consulting firm offering full architectural and engineering services— and featured panelists (in the photo above, left to right) Mike Sheppy, PE, CEM, energy team leader, Apogee; Timothy D. Lynch PE, chief engineer for enforcement bureau, NYC Department of Buildings; Adam Farber, LEED AP BD+C, CBCP, manager of commissioning and sustainability services, MG Engineering; Erin Fisher, PE, director of engineering services, CANY; and was moderated by Real Estate Weekly’s James Hagedorn.
Fisher noted the need to view all holistically when scheduling and managing upgrades and repairs:
“Think of your building holistically. Synergize your construction costs and upgrades.”
“It makes sense to bring in someone who can look at multiple systems,” added Farber.
Among the mandates included in the new NYCECC are those stating that construction projects need to:
Improve the building thermal envelope with better performing walls and windows
Seal and test the building envelope to minimize and control air leakage
Require balconies and parapets to be continuously insulated
Identify thermal bridging elements in the building envelope
Meet minimum energy efficiency requirements for heating and cooling systems
Require more efficient interior lighting and additional lighting controls
Perform commissioning on more HVAC alteration projects
Require efficiency measures on new elevators and commercial kitchen equipment
Require the infrastructure for the future installation of electric vehicle chargers in one- and two-family homes
Require whole building metering for new buildings greater than 25,000 square feet
Allow source energy as a metric, instead of energy cost, for buildings choosing to comply with energy modeling
Require additional thermal envelope performance requirements for buildings choosing to comply with energy modeling
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