So you want to do a Deep Energy Retrofit?

Tony Daniels
Proposal Status
Ready for Committee Review
Username
Tony Daniels
Proposer First Name
Tony
Proposer Email
tony@c-ap.net
Proposer Last Name
Daniels
Proposer Phone
(646) 308-1603
Proposer Job Title
Principal
Proposer Additional Info
Cycle Architecture + Planning is a Brooklyn-based company that provides architecture, urban design, sustainable design, and development consulting services to individuals, businesses, and organizations. A publicly-engaged firm that seeks out projects in the public interest, Cycle works with its clients and collaborating partners to create urban design and architecture for living cities and buildings. An analytically-focused practice with deep roots in the expanding issue of sustainability, Cycle designs, plans, manages, and executes projects for clients large, small, and in between with a calibrated understanding of the competing interests that characterize work in the public arena. Cycle is first and foremost a collaborating studio that brings people of diverse backgrounds and aspirations together. While the goals for our work are common, there is room for individual expression and focused inquiry in our work. Grounded in technical architecture that is a necessary prerequisite for producing low and zero-energy buildings, the practice researches, investigates, and seeks to develop easily implemented and understood solutions to complex problems. While no commercial practice chooses all of its clients, Cycle seeks out challenges and works with community groups, nonprofits, businesses, and individuals to optimize developments with unusual requirements or unrealized potential. Cycle is a technically oriented architecture and planning practice that is focused on achieving net zero energy buildings. We were awarded a grant in NYSERDA’s Buildings of Excellence program for our work at 669 St. Mark’s Avenue in Brooklyn, and are working on a project under RetrofitNY to retrofit one of the New York City Housing Authority’s buildings to net-zero energy performance. We are currently working on projects that address energy efficiency retrofits for buildings, and are developing our practice to address requirements from NYC’s Local Law 97. In addition, we are working on projects that include rehabilitation of existing buildings, installation of energy efficient facades, and installation of renewable energy and battery energy storage systems.
Proposed Session Description
Building owners have many reasons for wanting to do a deep energy retrofit on their building. They want to comply with city laws (LL97) and meet thresholds for carbon emissions in order to avoid penalties. They want to do what’s right for the planet. They want to lower their bills and live in a healthier, more comfortable building. But deep energy retrofits are still a new thing. While there are lots of great resources that explain available programs for these projects, very few have actually been done and most funding opportunities target low to medium income buildings. Our proposed session will detail experience with a deep energy retrofit for a mid-sized market-rate residential condominium building in Brooklyn. We’ll review the building master planning process, the coordination with residents, the integration of work by our team of architects and engineers and energy modelers, and efforts to obtain financing for the work. We’ll share some of the pitfalls of the process and how we are overcoming them.
Why is this session important?
21.7% of multi-family buildings in NYC are co-ops or condos. These buildings will need to be retrofitted to meet net-zero carbon targets. These retrofits are once-in-a-generation type projects, and need to be undertaken with care. We feel duty-bound to share this knowledge.

Comments

Jennifer Leone Mon, 04/05/2021 - 10:43 am

ROUND 1 - MAYBE. This could be interesting if there are no market rate DER examples being presented - AND if they can share real costs, data, etc. If this building has not been completed, it might be less interesting. 

Susan Farber Fri, 04/09/2021 - 11:48 am

Round 1 discussion: Is there real data? If only theoretical, we’re probably not interested. It’s only a rendering on their website. Ideal would be for it to be complete: lessons learned. What were the problems – getting into apartments, electrical upgrades. If it’s not done, invite them to submit next year.

Susan Farber Mon, 04/12/2021 - 4:52 pm

Round 1 discussion: Is there real data? If only theoretical, we’re probably not interested. It’s a rendering on their website. Ideal would be for it to be complete: lessons learned. What were the problems – getting into apartments, electrical upgrades. If it’s not done, invite them to submit next year.Response from Cycle: In some respects, the project is in the middle of design, and an energy master plan has been drafted.  Many of the challenges we are facing on the project pertain to critical issues of financing, building code and zoning compliance, and how to work with a condo or co-operative ownership structure. However, the first bit of work we did on the project was to undertake a conditions assessment of the facade and structural systems and an ASHRAE Level 2 assessment of mechanical systems. As a follow-on, we prepared a contract for repairs to the building facade. This work is ongoing, and probes are being undertaken to assess structural conditions for a panelized retrofit, and design of the panelized retrofit is ongoing with input from manufacturers. So to respond, we are in the middle of the project and have learned a lot already.

Elihu Dietz Mon, 05/17/2021 - 10:06 am

No.This is a condo building in Bedstuy that has completed a flextech study and hired an architect to start work on a strategy to comply with LL97 and improve tenant cofort, but has not started any of the work. I had a call with the architects and the condo board president, who is quickly learning about energy use in buildings and is very engaged. The architect has explored PACE financing with NYCEEC and they are trying to make it work even though it's a condo (this is a challenge because of all the separate mortgages in a condo). The strategy they want to use involves enclosing the building with panels. The CEO of Dextall, Aurimus Sabulis, which makes pre-fab panels, joined the call half way through. This would be their first project in NYC.This project isn't ready yet for a presentation. It could lead to an interesting conversation about the difficulties of deep energy retrofits but there aren't enough lessons learned yet about whether this solution works, whether it's affordable, how it pay for it, and whether residents are satisfied/happy with the results. It would raise these questions well, and provide a nice list of challenges. But the presenters don't yet seem to have solutions worked out which would important for a successful session. I would hope those involved would submit this session for a future conference once the project is complete. 

Diversity and Inclusiveness
The session will address financing issues associated with owners with prohibitive debt-to-income ratios who are facing mandatory building upgrades associated with new policies.
Learning Objectives
How to measure cost and time effects when developing a capital plan for a deep energy retrofit project
How co-ops and condos can finance deep energy retrofits
Successful strategies for resident engagement while planning a deep energy retrofit.
How to navigate the regulatory landscape for deep energy retrofits, including regulations that are often in conflict with one another.
Has this session been presented before?
No

NYC 2021 Areas of Focus

Target Audiences Level of Expertise
Level 1 - No prior knowledge needed.
Session Format
Interview or structured conversation among panelists
Debate between opposing viewpoints
Recommended Length
60-minute session
90-minute session

Strongest Content Connection - NYC 2021

Comments about your speaker roster
Tony and Caitlin represent the architectural project team, Amit is the condo board president for the case study project
Reviewer 1
Dietz, Elihu
Reviewer 2
Dietz, Elihu
Proposal #
149
Committee Decision
Being Considered

Presenters