Architects to lead design/solution for sustainability goals - by Carol Loewenson
By Carol Loewenson, FAIA, LEED AP
On August 24th, the mayor’s office, along with Urban Green Council and NYU’s Center for Urban Science and Progress, released the NYC’s Energy and Water Use 2013 Report, citing an 8% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from 3,000 of the city’s largest buildings between 2010 and 2013. In those same buildings, energy use decreased by 6%. The encouraging report shows where the city is excelling at reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, while also highlighting areas of improvement, including updating heating and lighting systems as well as securing areas around A/C units and windows to stem energy loss.
The results of the report are a further reminder of the role architects play in the quest to dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions and lessen our dependence on fossil fuels. Buildings are the biggest source of emissions and energy consumption, especially in NYC. Because of our extensive transit system and low private vehicle use, the energy used in buildings accounts for 73% of citywide emissions, which is well above the national average of 40% attributed to buildings. As architects, we have to take charge of environmental stewardship of our cities, not only to enhance design quality but to increase the environmental performance of our built environment.
With the city’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in NYC by 80% from its 2005 levels by 2050, architects are positioned to be leaders in innovative designs and solutions for the city’s sustainability goals. AIANY continues to advance and collaborate with the building community to provide the necessary mechanisms and info to create a useable framework for sustainable design and development.
Last spring, AIANY helped lead the city’s Buildings Technical Working Group, a cross-sectional task force of industry, non-profit, and government experts entrusted to assess how buildings can achieve the “80x50” goal. The work produced by the group led to an update of the NYC Energy Conservation Code last month. Signed on August 3rd, the legislation not only brings the city’s code in line with the state, it also holds city buildings to a higher environmental standard.
With the goal of safer and more energy-efficient buildings, the new code goes into effect on Oct. 3rd. In order to ensure that architects are prepared for the changes ahead, we are partnering with the Urban Green Council to offer “Conquer the Code” training courses throughout September. We are also working with the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) to address the update. On Sept. 19th, we will host Gina Bocra, DOB’s chief sustainability officer, and Emily Hoffman, DOB’s director of energy code compliance, at the Center for Architecture. The two speakers will review the latest changes to the code and discuss local provisions added by their department.
Beyond energy codes, AIANY is offering a series of events this month that address sustainability and the built environment. On Sept. 13th, the AIANY committee on the environment will host a three-year retrospective of the Bullitt Center – the world’s largest commercial “Living Building” and one of the most energy-efficient commercial buildings in the world. By sharing lessons learned from the project, including how to do more with less, occupant experience antidotes, and actual energy use and production, presenters hope to educate and inspire owners and architects to create projects that exceed the Bullitt Center’s performance.
On Sept. 19th, the AIANY transportation and infrastructure committee is hosting “Designing Cities for Rainy Days,” a panel discussion highlighting cities that are rethinking design and urban planning to live with water, including NYC’s resiliency approach in OneNYC: The Plan for a Strong and Just City. It will also highlight the cooperation between NYC and the city of Copenhagen to share climate solutions and the initial results of a conceptual pilot study for New York, based on Copenhagen’s approach to assessing risks and developing solutions to extreme rain events.
Starting on Sept. 21st, the AIANY Building Enclosure Council is hosting a two-day ”Building Science” conference. Renowned building scientists John Straube, PhD, PEng, and Joe Lstiburek, PhD, PEng, will help us understand the details that count when designing sustainable building enclosures for urban buildings, including solving enclosure issues in existing structures.
Topics to be discussed include control of heat, air, moisture, and indoor air quality; and proper detailing, constructability, testing, and commissioning.
Finally, on Oct. 25th, the Center for Architecture will feature “Sustainability and Preservation” as part of the programming for our upcoming Authenticity and Innovation exhibition. This program will mark the benefits of preserving, retrofitting, and adapting old structures instead of tearing them down and replacing them with new buildings. With specific projects in N.Y., this program showcases preservation and reuse as perhaps the most sustainable approaches to city development.
Carol Loewenson, FAIA, LEED AP is the 2016 president of AIA New York and is a partner at Mitchell | Giurgola, New York, N.Y.