12 ways that NYC is using its building code to boost energy efficiency

David Wagman | March 03, 2020

Officials in New York City passed into law the 2020 NYC Energy Conservation Code, which governs sustainability and energy efficiency for all construction in the city's five boroughs.

The energy code will go into effect on May 12.

Studies show that buildings in New York produce 70% of carbon emissions, said Benjamin Prosky, executive director of the American Institute of Architects New York. He said that architects are "among the key players who can help fight climate change and improve air quality" by designing more energy efficient buildings and retrofits to comply with the new code.

Studies suggest that 70% of carbon emissions in New York City are attributable to buildings. Source: Akashgrana25 / CC BY-SA 4.0(View the city's updated code here.)

The city's updated building code draws from the 2020 New York State Energy Conservation Construction Code and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's NYStretch Energy Code. The new city code includes additional energy efficiency requirements that are specific to New York City. For example, the 2020 code mandates that construction projects:

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

The 2020 NYC Energy Conservation Code is one of several construction codes being updated by the Department of Buildings as part of its ongoing Code Revision Cycle. The Department said it plans to introduce updates to the balance of New York construction codes later in 2020.