"We are going to introduce a bill to ban skyscrapers made of glass and steel, which greatly contributed to global warming," quoted Bill de Blasio as quoted by The New York Times. "They no longer have a place in our city or on our Earth." The Mayor is calling for buildings to be “part of the solution, not part of the problem” in a world where there are already many sources of pollution. His program also includes the development of new energy standards, which will be a mandatory step in obtaining a building permit.
New York officials said they did not know the details of the proposal, that such innovations would not be taken alone and would require City Council approval anyway. Most experts are inclined to believe that neither glass nor steel will fall under a total ban.
The discrepancies in the speech of the head of the "Big Apple" also introduce ambiguity. For example, de Blasio cited SHoP Architects' towers on 626 First Avenue as energy efficient buildings, and some of the Cornell Tech campus buildings - they all have glass facades. At the same time, the director of sustainable development of the City of New York Mark Chambers, who also took part in the press conference, stressed that all of the above "does not mean that glass will no longer be able to be used in buildings."
The mayor described the Hudson Yards complex as an example of "not doing it," although he did not elaborate on what he dislikes. Officials and contractors involved in this large facility took offense at his words. They noticed that the 52-story office tower at 10 Hudson Yards was certified LEED Platinum, a testament to its exceptional sustainability.
The lack of detail in the mayor's speech worried real estate leaders and architects. “Everyone is trying to figure out what the mayor had in mind,” said Adam Roberts, director of policy at the New York branch of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). "We just hope the mayor made a mistake." “It was kind of a naive statement,” said Mitch Simpler, chairman of the American Board of Engineering Companies.
“We haven't seen the bill or any rough strategy,” said Karl Ham, senior vice president of the New York City Real Estate Council. "We are wondering if the mayor prohibits [the use of] glass and steel, what would be the alternative?" He also admitted that he did not really understand "where the data and research came from that glass and steel are less effective than, say, concrete." “It all depends on what's inside,” explains Karl Ham.
The skyscraper situation arose against the backdrop of a new environmental law that the city council passed a few days earlier. Tower owners will need to make their properties more energy efficient; otherwise, they will have to pay a million dollar fine every year. The solution should cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030. And by 2050, New York plans to close that target to zero and become carbon neutral. The current mayor is ready to invest $ 14 billion in the project.
Retrofitting old buildings to meet new requirements will be a major challenge, Mitch Simpler said. “In some cases, the shell of a building will have to be remodeled,” explains the chairman of the American Board of Engineering Companies. “We have to go back in time and take these 75 and 100 year old houses and make them work like Ferrari. According to preliminary estimates, the total costs of the owners of high-rise buildings for their reconstruction will exceed $ 4 billion.
But city officials say change is inevitable and long overdue. Buildings account for about 70% of New York City's greenhouse gas emissions, studies show, and glass-fronted buildings are among the worst offenders. The mayor and his deputy for sustainable development have made it clear that the city intends to submit the bill by the end of the year. "Developers will have to meet new standards," Chambers snapped. "Business, as usual, doesn't want to [adjust]."
By the way, some industry representatives got the impression that de Blasio's loud statement was an attempt to strike up a conversation on the eve of the 2020 elections and remind about his political program. The mayor of New York is aiming for the presidency of the United States and, using the example of the Big Apple, he is rolling out the nationwide program. For a certain part of the electorate, his candidacy looks quite attractive, especially against the background of the activities and statements of Donald Trump. The current US president calls the problem of climate change a hoax; under his leadership, the United States refused to participate in the Paris Agreement.
