In 2022, there have been nearly 200 fires and six deaths in New York City caused by lithium-ion batteries used in mobility devices such as electric bikes and scooters.
The New York City Council held a hearing last month to gauge the danger posed by poorly made, refurbished, or improperly charged batteries. The city currently limits five large lithium-ion batteries to a single residence.
Other cities including San Francisco also have experienced fires caused by lithium-ion batteries. Concerned over an uptick in fires, landlords in New York City such as Glenwood Management are reportedly considering bans on electric bikes and scooters.
If the batteries are damaged from being dropped or hit too hard, or are improperly stored or poorly manufactured, they can create excessive heat when being charged, resulting in a fire, according to a fire protection engineer at the National Fire Protection Association.
Related Stories
| Jan 16, 2013
Pentagon plans huge spending cuts, including construction funds, amid budget deadlock fears
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has ordered cuts to military spending as a precaution in case the White House and Congress fail to agree to avert $52 billion in cuts to the Pentagon budget this year.
| Jan 16, 2013
GSA's Green Proving Ground program pushes energy efficiency
The General Services Administration, which manages a portfolio of almost 10,000 buildings, is using the Green Proving Ground program to test technological advances in energy efficiency.
| Jan 16, 2013
Standards that include reflective roofs must take into account local climate
Roofs painted white can reflect heat and reduce warm-weather energy use, but in cooler regions like Minneapolis or Chicago, the issue of energy-efficiency is less straightforward.
| Jan 16, 2013
New standard for geothermal heat pump systems piping to be included in 2015 International Mechanical Code
NSF International, an independent global organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products, has published the first in a series of American National Standards for Ground-Source Geothermal Piping Systems – NSF/ANSI 358-1.
| Jan 16, 2013
ANSI passes new safety standards for reinforcing steel and post-tensioning
The ANSI A10 Accredited Standards Committee for Construction and Demolition Operations recently approved amendments to the ANSI A10.9 Concrete and Masonry Standard.
| Jan 8, 2013
Congress passes Drywall Safety Act
Congress recently passed the Drywall Safety Act; President Barack Obama is expected to sign it soon.
| Jan 8, 2013
Building-integrated PVs could help boost green standards over the next few years
A developing technology could begin to have an impact on sustainable standards over the next few years.
| Jan 8, 2013
Revamp of codes among nine low tech steps to raise community resiliency
Updating of local zoning and building codes is one of nine low-tech steps that can boost sustainability and storm resiliency, according to this article.
| Jan 8, 2013
Group releases safety and building codes from 24 countries
Public.Resource.Org released 10,062 public safety documents including building codes covering 24 countries and 6 regions.
| Jan 8, 2013
Montana developing high-performance building standards for state projects
The Montana Department of Administration is developing a single building standard for all state facilities, and hopes to have a plan in place this spring.
