When looking to extend its success with its legacy control system, the New York City Housing Authority started with open BACnet communication as the center of its new BMS architecture, leveraging its fiber connectivity between campus buildings and including advanced graphics, alarms, exception reporting, and data analytics. Including these features has required NYCHA to work across its enterprise, from Operations/Maintenance to Capital Projects and IT, as well as with its business partners and consultants, to bring all the pieces together.

Capital planning has always been an integral part of a building owner’s strategy, but with NYC’s Local Law 97, state and city carbon reduction goals, gas moratoriums, and a shift towards electrification, it is more important than ever to have a long-term strategy based on the specifics of a building, property, or portfolio. This session will provide an overview of different integrated solution options and technologies for both commercial and residential buildings, including geothermal, thermal storage with energy sharing, and VRF.

In commercial buildings, tenants account for more than 50% of energy use. With the recent enactment of Local Law 97, tenant energy contribution becomes even more critical, as commercial landlords will not be able to comply with emission caps if tenants are not engaged. This session will highlight how two tenants collaborated with their building owner to implement advanced energy solutions and reduce building energy consumption.

Electrifying existing buildings is easier said than done. There are numerous roadblocks to electrification, from first costs, to technical feasibility, to grid limitations, operating costs, and tenant education, just to name a few! Richard Gerbe will moderate this roundtable discussion with key stakeholders representing manufacturers, utilities, engineers, and building owners, to learn how cross-sector collaboration will help accelerate the decarbonization of New York’s existing building stock efficiently and equitably.

New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act (CMA) is viewed by many building owners as legislation thrust upon them, mandating unaffordable retrofits that benefit the environment at their expense. But for owners with the right strategy in place, these retrofits present a highly profitable investment opportunity, even with little access to capital.