Nobel Prize–eschewing poet and folk-rock music legend Bob Dylan might have been the first person to be known as “going electric” (at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965), but as with much of his oeuvre, the world is now following in his foots…
More and more multifamily buildings and HOAs are incorporating solar power into their operations to save money, reduce emissions, and be more resilient, but many still have questions about how to pay for and install solar technology in thei…
Once prevalent as a residential alternative in the suburbs, solar energy is having a bit of a moment in New York City. The New York Times recently chronicled how solar is making headway in the city proper, amid the vast high-rises t…
In New York, most co-ops and condos receive energy from either Con Edison or an energy service company (ESCO). When it comes to energy however, conservation is the watchword–both in terms of cost, and in terms of reducing the environmental …
Saving the planet from the effects of climate change is an urgent—and gargantuan—task. It’s such a huge, global issue that the actions of individuals and small entities like co-op and condominium communities to help can seem pitifully inade…
While the ‘Green New Deal’ and other long-term climate solutions are being debated at the federal level, some states and municipalities are getting in on the action as well, setting legal emissions benchmarks that will have a real impact on…
In 2016, seven years into the greening of New York City we can happily report that compliance with Local Laws 84 & 87 which provide for the monitoring and upgrading of energy sourcing and usage stands at 100 percent, according to the de Bla…
In Part 1 of “Multifamily Energy Savings Solutions,” we introduced some relatively simple products and processes that individual owners or shareholders can adopt to reduce energy consumption and emissions and to save on their energy costs. …
Energy costs are a major component in any housing environment, and one of the main areas where boards and managers look at to optimize efficiency and save money. One already popular — and growing — alternative to fossil fuels is solar energ…
In residential properties, lighting – both its quality and its efficiency – is often as important as the fixtures in which bulbs themselves are placed. This applies particularly to LED light bulbs, since they’re directly tied to monthly ene…
As part of NYC's Greener, Greater Building Plan , Local Law 87/09 requires building owners to have an energy audit conducted on their base-building systems, undertake energy-efficient maintenance practices as part of retro-commission…
Let’s face it. Every multifamily or commercial building owner would like to substantially lower their utility costs. Prices for energy and water are projected to go nowhere but up in the future. When you start to factor in the new regulati…
COVID-19 has caused more far-ranging, persistent anxiety than any other event in recent history. It has affected our jobs, our living situations, and the way we interact with others, and it’s not done with us yet. Scientists and public heal…
While many NYC building owners and managers have committed to reduce energy waste in their properties, promote efficiency, and strive for a greener city and planet, the sweeping nine-bill Climate Mobilization Act passed in May of 2019 and t…
As we move toward spring and summer, major capital improvement projects become the focus for many co-op and condominium communities. One of the largest projects your community may undertake is a roof replacement. Whether a high-rise, mid-ri…
When it comes to the list of most important systems to maintain—and potentially the most expensive to replace—in a multifamily building, windows are definitely near the top. The useful life of a given window depends on a number of factors, …
New York City is actively pursuing measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions citywide. Achieving this goal will take the combination of numerous initiatives, but in order to make significant strides, the city must address its biggest…
New York City buildings have achieved 100 percent compliance with Local Law 43, a part of the overall Greener, Greater Buildings Plan put in place in 2009 to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings and reduce the city’s carbon f…
Cleaning products should, ideally, have one primary function: to make things less dirty. But once one delves deeper into the overall goal, things get more complicated. For instance, what makes something really clean? Does it mean to look sh…
‘Home sweet home’ can become un-sweet very quickly indeed when the physical environment you’ve worked hard to create becomes a source of environmental toxicity. Chemicals, smoke, pet dander, and mold, along with other allergens and irritant…