NYC Local Law 97 Capital Investment and Decarbonization Plan

We developed a capital improvement and plan to prepare this Class A Landmark building for compliance with the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission limits of NYC’s Local Law 97. Our work involved both an ASHRAE Level 3 Energy Audit and a calibrated whole-building energy model simulation to identify and provide robust analysis of a shortlist of potential energy and carbon performance improvements, including low-emissivity film and chiller upgrades that have subsequently been implemented.

The building’s Landmark status had previously caused proposals to improve energy performance of the building’s single-pane skin to be rejected by the Landmark’s Preservation Commission – the visual aesthetic of the façade, “an acclaimed example of mid-20th century modernism”, being a key feature of the Landmark designation. However, we were able to find a low-emissivity thermal film solution acceptable to the commission that improved energy performance while returning the smooth mullion-less skin to a more uniform simplicity and color reminiscent of its original appearance.