The City Council approved three bills today to update the city's Building Code to help create more energy-efficient roofs, according to an article by Marine Cole at crainsnewyork.com.
The trio of bills is part of a larger initiative of 111 proposals unveiled more than a year ago by the NYC Green Codes Task Force, a panel of environmental experts, the article said, adding that "the recommendations affect the city's building codes as well as rules impacting zoning, health, consumer affairs and environmental protection."
Christine Quinn, the City Council speaker, said that "the idea of greening the Building Code is something the council has been very supportive of," the article continued, adding that she said that the new regulations will remove barriers to green building that are currently in the code, while also enhancing it.
The article said that first bill modifies the code to require that buildings' roof materials are more reflective, absorbing less heat in the summer, as well as more emissive-emitting more heat when the air is cooler.
"Starting on Jan. 1, 2012, the legislation will apply to any new construction and to alterations of roofs in existing buildings where more than 50% of the roof area and more than 500 square feet is being replaced. Roofs with glass, clay, wood or slate, as well as portions of a roof that are under mechanical equipment or used for agricultural or recreational purposes, will be exempted from the requirements," the article said.
"'In the summer, in New York City, you can cook an egg on a roof,' said Russell Unger, executive director of the Urban Green Council, who chaired the task force's steering committee. He notes that currently almost all flat roofs have a silver protective coating. 'Instead, now they'll put a white coating, which doesn't transmit as much heat,' he said. 'In the summer, your cooling will be so much better.' He added that buildings will also be saving energy," the article said.
"The second bill, which is taking effect immediately, will allow solar thermal and solar electric collectors and their supporting equipment to be excluded from buildings' height limitations. The third bill, which will also take effect immediately, will add heat and power systems to the list of allowable rooftop structures. With these new regulations, the city has already implemented nearly 20 of the task force's original 111 recommendations," the article said.
The trio of bills is part of a larger initiative of 111 proposals unveiled more than a year ago by the NYC Green Codes Task Force, a panel of environmental experts, the article said, adding that "the recommendations affect the city's building codes as well as rules impacting zoning, health, consumer affairs and environmental protection."
Christine Quinn, the City Council speaker, said that "the idea of greening the Building Code is something the council has been very supportive of," the article continued, adding that she said that the new regulations will remove barriers to green building that are currently in the code, while also enhancing it.
The article said that first bill modifies the code to require that buildings' roof materials are more reflective, absorbing less heat in the summer, as well as more emissive-emitting more heat when the air is cooler.
"Starting on Jan. 1, 2012, the legislation will apply to any new construction and to alterations of roofs in existing buildings where more than 50% of the roof area and more than 500 square feet is being replaced. Roofs with glass, clay, wood or slate, as well as portions of a roof that are under mechanical equipment or used for agricultural or recreational purposes, will be exempted from the requirements," the article said.
"'In the summer, in New York City, you can cook an egg on a roof,' said Russell Unger, executive director of the Urban Green Council, who chaired the task force's steering committee. He notes that currently almost all flat roofs have a silver protective coating. 'Instead, now they'll put a white coating, which doesn't transmit as much heat,' he said. 'In the summer, your cooling will be so much better.' He added that buildings will also be saving energy," the article said.
"The second bill, which is taking effect immediately, will allow solar thermal and solar electric collectors and their supporting equipment to be excluded from buildings' height limitations. The third bill, which will also take effect immediately, will add heat and power systems to the list of allowable rooftop structures. With these new regulations, the city has already implemented nearly 20 of the task force's original 111 recommendations," the article said.
Architecture Critic
Carter Horsley
Since 1997, Carter B. Horsley has been the editorial director of CityRealty. He began his journalistic career at The New York Times in 1961 where he spent 26 years as a reporter specializing in real estate & architectural news. In 1987, he became the architecture critic and real estate editor of The New York Post.
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