February 2010

In early February, the NYC Green Codes Task Force, a panel of experts including representatives of the building industry and environmental groups, issued more than 100 recommendations on how to make NYC’s building codes more environmentally sound and energy-efficient. The panel was convened in 2008 by Mayor Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Quinn, and its work was funded by the Foundation. The recommendations, part of the city’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, would largely affect construction and renovation work. Some energy-saving measures proposed include insulating all-glass high rises, imposing higher efficiency standards for heating systems, and phasing in individual apartment temperature controls. More news about the release of the recommendations can be found here, and the executive summary and full report are available online by following this link.