Earlier this year, New York City's Department of Buildings began auditing thousands of architectural plans for new and renovated office and residential buildings. Nine of every 10 have failed to meet the energy code, a 30-year-old set of standards.
The compliance enforcement effort began under Mayor Michael Bloomberg last year, when he assigned auditors to pore over 212 randomly selected building plans. This year, auditors have examined more than 1,200 applications.
The standards are only now being enforced in earnest. In some cases, the Department of Buildings has stopped nonconforming projects. “We're very serious about this, and are trying to educate the industry on what is required,” said Gina Bocra, chief sustainability officer at the Department of Buildings, which set up a permanent audit unit this year. “Buildings are the largest source of energy consumption in our city, and how we conserve energy is key to making progress on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.”
Some are complaining about the potential costs of compliance and potential to lengthen construction schedules. Planned additions to the building code over the next year are boosting concerns. “The energy code can be an effective way to increase efficiency if it remains flexible, but the more mandatory and prescriptive any code is, the more difficult it is to build a building that complies — particularly in New York City,” said Angela Pinsky, a senior vice president of management services and government affairs with the Real Estate Board of New York.
(http://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20140818/NEWS07/140819859?tags=|338|69|310|80|303)
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jun 11, 2015
Helena, Mont., may charge commercial developers a fee to fund public art
The fee would apply to new construction or alteration of nonresidential buildings of at least 20,000 sf.
Codes and Standards | Jun 11, 2015
DBIA releases new document on choosing a project delivery method
Provides owners and others with factors to consider when choosing the best method of delivery for their project.
High-rise Construction | Jun 5, 2015
Japanese policymakers discuss mandate for toilets in elevators
This quirky-sounding building code is a safety measure for the earthquake-prone nation.
Codes and Standards | Jun 4, 2015
OSHA publishes guide to restroom access for transgender workers
The guide advises employers to allow employees to use restrooms that correspond to their gender identity.
Codes and Standards | Jun 4, 2015
Guide helps Building Teams maximize team integration
The guide includes forms to support a two- to four-hour workshop to help an owner select the most appropriate delivery strategy.
Codes and Standards | Jun 4, 2015
NIBS, RICS to explore P3 as tool to achieve high-performance buildings
The idea of applying the P3 concept more to buildings, and especially building performance, is a potentially promising new avenue in the U.S., according to the trade groups.
University Buildings | May 30, 2015
Texas senate approves $3 billion in bonds for university construction
For the first time in nearly a decade, Texas universities could soon have some state money for construction.
Multifamily Housing | May 30, 2015
Energy Department releases resources to assess building energy benchmarking policies, programs
The new handbook demonstrates methodologies using real data from New York City.
Codes and Standards | May 27, 2015
Construction industry concerns with ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule remain
EPA and Corps of Engineers rule may lead to a longer, more expensive permitting process
Codes and Standards | May 22, 2015
Rapid growth for environmental insurance in construction industry
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is paying closer attention to intrusion of potentially harmful vapors into commercial and residential buildings.
