26 Jul 5 Tips to Reduce Your Building’s Carbon Emissions in NYC

Humanity is dealing with the worst of global climate change and increasing temperatures, causing countless devastations across the globe. As a result, most concerned authorities have sprung into action and are now making efforts to reach the goal of net zero emissions by 2050. 

One of these ambitious projects is New York’s target to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050, measured with respect to the pollutant levels in 2005. This is one of the most significant undertakings in recent times in a major city like New York. 

However, you cannot realize this goal without reducing carbon emissions from buildings. And this is no matter of joke, considering buildings currently account for 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions.           

So, how do we realize this ambitious goal? Here are five effective tips to help reduce your NYC building’s carbon emissions.   

1. Focus on Material Efficiency  

The Building and Infrastructure Consumption Report from the University of Leeds highlights the importance of material efficiency for buildings in New York. Unsurprisingly, this is not the only report urging people to use more eco-friendly building materials.     

Numbers suggest that preventing material wastage during the design stage can reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly. Many experts are suggesting to reduce the use of cement and steel in construction to reduce carbon emissions. This is important considering the materials in cement account for 32% of all emissions from material consumption while steel accounts for 15%.    

This highlights the importance of using eco-friendly building materials to keep emissions at a minimum. Of course, there is no perfect building material to address this cause, but using things like cork, bamboo, and sheep wool insulation can make more difference than you might think. 

2. Focus on Proper Building Envelope   

Apart from construction, it is also very important to enhance the efficiency of buildings in New York City. Experts suggest that modern buildings in New York have a significant weakness due to the excessive use of glass in construction. Glass has the potential to conduct five times more heat, which directly affects the building’s energy efficiency.    

The focus here boils down to using the proper building envelopes since you can upgrade them easily after completing the construction. You can consider using triple-pane windows for better energy efficiency, but these windows fall short when compared to a wall with proper insulation.  

Hence, there is no better alternative than to take a well-thought-out and sustainable approach to a proper building envelope. This goes a long way in terms of enhancing your building’s energy efficiency and safety during emergencies. Additionally, make sure you remember that buildings with poor envelopes can become unbearably hot during summers and freezing cold during winters.  

3. Retrofitting For The Win 

Given how things are going, it is fair to conclude that most existing buildings will still be around in decades to come. Since New Yorkers wish to lower their carbon emissions by 2050, chances are that the majority of buildings will still be around. This makes retrofitting one of the most effective ways to lower overall carbon emissions in the long run.      

However, using proper retrofitting strategies to comply with the latest building codes is a job much easier said than done. This makes it important to simplify the retrofitting process and determine the best practices that align with the long-term goal. You must remember that every building is unique in its own way and requires unique retrofitting accordingly. 

The first thing you need to do is identify every area where retrofitting might benefit your building and enhance its efficiency. It is better to partner with a reliable expert for a thorough analysis of the overall building. This will help get a better understanding of the building’s uniqueness and design retrofitting strategies that work.     

4. Revolutionize HVACs

HVAC solutions are one of the most significant contributors to carbon emissions in the city of 

New York. This makes it very important to take the right proactive measures to enhance the efficiency of these systems. What this means is that NYC buildings need better ventilation paired with more efficient heating and cooling solutions.    

If your building already has conventional HVAC systems, it is better to upgrade them whenever you get the opportunity. You can even consider scheduling your building’s HVAC systems to turn on at pre-determined hours. This means you must let the system run hotter or cooler during off hours, depending on the season.     

Besides that, you also need to focus on enhancing the building’s ventilation to ensure it does not waste energy unnecessarily. You can even consider installing sensors to monitor airflow, measure the quality of air, and determine the perfect ventilation needed. This will help you save energy that would otherwise be spent on cooling or heating the building.     

5. Start Using Renewable Energy

When it comes to enhancing a building’s energy efficiency, there is no better alternative to renewable energy sources. It is by far one of the most effective ways to improve your building’s energy efficiency and reduce your carbon footprint. You can take a unique approach and use your building’s walls and roofs to install solar panels and collect the sun’s energy. You can then use this energy to run your building’s HVAC systems along with all the other appliances.  

What’s even better is that you can use these energy sources to completely eliminate the need for conventional energy from fossil fuels. Of course, this will not happen overnight and might even require you to change your building’s appliances. But with enough consistent effort, this goal was a fair possibility.      

Final Thoughts 

Reducing your building’s carbon footprint is not just about protecting the environment or reducing global temperatures. Instead, it is also about you saving your energy costs and eventually enhancing your building’s valuation. So make sure you make the most of these tips to reduce your building’s carbon emissions in NYC.        

FAQs: 

1. Are solar panels any good for energy conservation? 

Solar panels are your best bet to conserve energy without compromising on any of your needs. 

2. How to reduce building emissions during the construction phase?

Using quality materials like low-carbon cement and adopting sustainable construction practices are two of the best ways to reduce your building’s emissions during the construction phase.       

3. Do buildings contribute to global carbon emissions?

Numbers suggest that buildings contribute to 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions.    

4. Is it possible to reuse building materials and components?   

Yes, you can easily reuse certain building materials and components to lower overall carbon emissions.