Page 1 - CooperatorNews NY April 2021
P. 1

April 2021                        COOPERATORNEWS.COM  ings. With that said, the first step is to engage an experienced energy ex-  pert to survey the building.” That survey will determine if and where the   building is currently deficient and how and where the most economical   and successful changes and upgrades can be made.  Giulia Alimonti, senior architect with CTLGroup, an international   engineering and architectural firm with offices in New York, advises   that “boards should first become familiar with the law and options for   NEW YORK  THE CO-OP & CONDO RESOURCE  COOPERATORNEWS  continued on page 2   205 Lexington Avenue, NY, NY 10016 • CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED  In multifamily properties where differ-  ent households share in the use, visual en-  joyment, and property value of landscaped   outdoor elements, a lot of factors go into   deciding what and where to plant, how to   maintain it, and how much to spend. These   considerations can be summed up as the ‘3   Greens’: the vitality and vibrancy of plant-  ings and lawns; the ecological factors that   determine the best methods, placements,   and products that use the least resources   and have the least impact on the environ-  ment, and the dollars that associations and   co-op corporations need to allocate in their   budgets to design, install, and maintain   these areas.  To optimize each, the 3 Greens must be   considered simultaneously. For example, an   association with a limited landscaping bud-  get might think  that  skimping  on mulch   will save them money—but according to   the pros, the right type of mulch in the right   amounts is important for soil health, water   conservation, and weed mitigation — all of   which saves money in the long run. Similar-  ly, a community with ample grounds might   think that laying a bunch of sod for sprawl-  ing lawns might be the right way to ‘green’   things quickly, instead of going through   the relative hassle of seeding grass from   scratch—but a sod workaround might ac-  tually be the least cost effective to maintain   and least ecologically efficient or beneficial.  Mix It Up  As with most things biological, diversity   is generally best. Having a combination of   softscape (plantings and grasses) and hard-  scape (concrete, paving, turf) creates visual   appeal  and  can  demarcate  different  out-  door spaces for different uses. A carefully   planned landscape can also maximize water   runoff and absorption, take advantage of   In  the  spring  of  2019,  the  New  York  City  Council  passed  the  Climate  Mobilization   Act—and with  it,  Local  Law Number 97  (LL 97).  LL 97  requires  large  existing build-  ings—those over 25,000 square feet—to reduce their carbon emissions 40% by 2030 and   80% by 2050. Unique in its aim, the law targets existing buildings and requires own-  ers to invest in renovation and retrofitting to make their buildings more energy efficient.  What’s Required, By When?  LL 97 sets requirements for all subject properties for two initial compliance periods: The   first period runs from 2024 to 2029 and the second from 2030 to 2034. New York City is obli-  gated by the law to clarify requirements for future periods through 2050. Buildings over 25,000   gross square feet must meet annual whole-building carbon intensity limits during each com-  pliance period based on building type, or prorated for mixed-use buildings. Certain building   types—including city-owned buildings, affordable housing, hospitals, and houses of worship—  will have alternative compliance options if they cannot hit the carbon intensity limits.    Cooperative and condominium apartment buildings are also subject to the law.  Compli-  ance requires that building owners—which in the case of co-ops and condos means boards of   directors—must submit an annual emissions intensity report approved by a registered design   professional starting in 2025 or pay substantial fines. The onus is on the individual co-op cor-  poration or condominium association not only to submit a report but to retrofit, reconfigure,   and even replace polluting systems within their properties to bring their properties into com-  pliance on a long-term basis.  What to Do  Fred Goldner is a certified energy consultant based in Long Island, and is an expert on the   implementation of Local Law 97 requirements for apartment buildings and how to approach   that implementation. “That implementation,” he says, “depends on the particulars of the build-  When the sun seems to shine a bit   brighter, warmer, and longer, and the first   buds of spring start to appear on trees and   bushes, many multifamily property man-  agers, boards, and residents start to think   about the landscaping at their building or   HOA. After months of being cooped up in-  doors and unable to make full use of their   outdoor spaces, the arrival of spring re-  minds them that these areas are there—and   that they need some serious TLC—or may-  be even overhaul—after a long, cold winter.  But where should multifamily decision-  makers even begin when making land-  scaping choices? How does the process for   reseeding a vegetable garden differ from   redesigning a courtyard? It turns out that   a proper plan—and adequate time to final-  ize, procure, and implement it—is crucial   to get the most out of a property’s outdoor   space on any budget. We spoke to several   landscaping professionals and organiza-  tions to find out what boards, managers,   and gardening committees should keep in   mind when developing a landscaping plan   for their communities. Different pros had   their own recommendations, but all agreed   that the time to start thinking about them   is now.  How Will the Space Be Used?  As opposed to individual homeowners   who have only their own households to con-  sider when making landscaping decisions,   multifamily buildings and associations have   to consider multiple, diverse households;   what might be an appealing use of space   to one segment of the community might   be completely unsuitable to another. Com-  munity leaders may have a lot of different   backgrounds, ages, interests, and abilities to   consider when weighing how their shared   outdoor spaces will be used, what they will   look like, and how they’ll be designed.  David Mendelson and Annamaria Mo-  rales are principals with QG Landscape   in New York, and are well-versed in col-  laborating with boards and committees to   make use of outdoor areas. Where possible,   they suggest trying to carve out sections of   space for different purposes: shaded nooks   Preparing for Local   Law 97 Inspections  What’s Required, and When  BY A J SIDRANSKY   Smart Multifamily   Landscaping  The Key is in the    Planning  BY DARCEY GERSTEIN  Plants, Money, &   Sustainability  The ‘3 Greens’ of    Landscaping  BY DARCEY GERSTEIN  continued on page 11   continued on page 10 


































































































   1   2   3   4   5