Council weighs carbon cap on large polluting apartment buildings

Residential buildings in New York City could be subject to new sustainability standards if the council amends a 2019 emissions law. Photo via Pom’/Flickr

By Rachel Vick

A City Council committee on Tuesday considered amending a landmark building emissions law to cap the amount of carbon emanating from large rent-stabilized apartment complexes.

The City Council Committee on Environmental Protection held a hearing on amendments that would adjust the definition of rent stabilized apartment building to match state law. The change would subject residential buildings where 35 percent of the units are rent regulated to the 2019 Climate Mobilization Act, a measure that limits harmful emissions from commercial and some residential complexes.

“An environmentally informed population is essential to addressing and responding to climate change,” said Committee Chair Costa Constantinides. “That is the only way to a sustainable future, especially when we see climate change impacting our world.”

Building emissions account for 71 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in New York City, according to city data. Last year’s legislation aims to cut commercial building emissions by 40 percent by 2030.

Residential buildings take a significant toll on the environment, too. They account for 36 percent of total emissions among buildings larger than 50,000 square feet, Constantinides said.

Excluding them from the Climate Mobilization Act left a significant gap in the city’s effort to cut carbon pollution, he added.

“We need to act and act yesterday on climate,” he added. “We don't have time for half measures. We need to continue to move forward.”

The change would apply to about 1,000 additional buildings, forcing landlords to retrofit their properties to meet the Climate Mobilization Act requirements. Constantinides said the building enhancements would lead to a 100,000-ton carbon reduction — the same effect as taking about 21,000 cars off the road.

The costs associated with the building upgrades have encountered criticism from landlords groups and at least one lawmaker. The New York Times reported last year that the initial upgrades will cost landlords roughly $4 billion.

Queens Councilmember Eric Ulrich blasted the proposal and said it would have an onerous impact on landlords already burdened by the economic impact of COVID-19.

“Given the decrease in revenue that they are having and financial troubles they may be going through, I’m just wondering, other than financing, why the city isn’t matching or putting up grants to help pay for the capital cost of complying with regulations,” Ulrich said.

“I know this is a very admirable goal and I want to see this accomplished more than anybody, but I just wonder why the city doesn’t put their money where their mouth is,” he added.

Mark Chambers, the director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, said property owners could apply for support through the city’s Retrofit Accelerator and PACE financing system which provides a  long-term, low interest loan that should be ready by the end of the year. Chambers also said increasing energy efficiency will lower costs over time.

“There is a commitment to make sure that building owners have as many options as possible and recognizing that they are not all going to have the same conditions in buildings so it's important that we provide as much information direction and incentive as possible to make sure everyone is in compliance,” Chambers said.

In the past, similar building modifications were paid for through rent increases, but protections codified in the Housing Stability Act will prevent landlords from passing on the cost of the changes to their tenants.

So far, more than 50,000 large buildings over 25,000 square feet have been affected by the building emissions law. 

“It’s important to understand that we are operating against a significant imperative, '' Chambers said. “We have ten years to be able to not only implement changes required with this law but changes to reverse significant impact to our planet related to greenhouse gas emissions.”