NEW YORK - New York City has identified 132 energy efficiency
projects at municipal facilities that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
34,000 tons annually. The city’s short-term action plan is the first step
toward a goal of reducing the greenhouse gas emissions caused by municipal
buildings and operations by 30 percent by 2017, which will require an emissions
cut of 1.1 million tons. The plan includes 108 interior lighting upgrades, a
quarter of which will also include other efficiency measures, as well as eight
heating system upgrades, three street and highway lighting projects, and a
variety of other projects and pilot studies. One of the more visible projects
involves replacing the 100-watt mercury vapor lamps on the Brooklyn Bridge with
24-watt LED lamps.
The plan was devised by the city’s Energy Conservation Steering
Committee, which is to craft a long-term plan for the remainder of the
emissions cuts by the end of June. The city has committed to spend an amount
equal to 10 percent of its energy expenditures each year for the next 10 years
to achieve the greenhouse gas emissions goal, an effort it calls “PlaNYC.” For
example, in fiscal year 2008, the city plans to spend $800 million for energy,
so it will also spend $80 million on energy efficiency projects. As Mayor
Michael Bloomberg unveiled the short-term action plan, he also signed
legislation that codified the PlaNYC emissions targets.
While the city government moves toward improved energy
efficiency, so do some of the city’s most notable institutions, including theNew York Times. The “old grey lady” has moved to a new green
building, and the grand opening for the new 52-story New York Times Building
was held recently. The innovative building features a dimmable lighting system
and a dynamic shading system that result in energy savings of 30 percent on the
26 floors occupied by the Times Company (floors 2 through 27). Horizontal
ceramic rods on the exterior of the building act as a sunshade capable of
blocking half of the sun’s energy. This unique feature allowed the use of
floor-to-ceiling ultra-clear glass that maximizes views and light for the
occupants. The Times Company gets 40 percent of its power from a 1.4-megawatt
gas-fired cogeneration system, which also produces hot water for heating in the
winter and for powering an absorption chiller to help cool the building through
the warmer months. The building also features an under-floor air distribution
system, demand-controlled ventilation, and a system to purge the building air
at night.
Publication
date:12/24/2007
