In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the U.S., the city of Ithaca, N.Y., voted to electrify and decarbonize all buildings within the community—not just municipal buildings.
Ithaca, a community of about 30,000 people, contains about 6,000 homes and buildings. The decarbonization plan would involve regulations on things like how a building is heated and the types of appliances it uses to eliminate consumption of fossil fuels.
This legislation is part of the broader “Green New Deal” that the city approved in 2019. That measure calls for city government to meet all its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2025 and reduce its vehicle emissions by half. It also set an ambitious goal of being a carbon-neutral city by the end of the decade.
Building improvements could include swapping natural gas and propane cooking stoves with electric induction cooktops and installing solar panels. Cornell University is working on modeling to help inform what buildings to address first. The program is likely to unfold in two phases—the first covering 1,600 buildings, and then another 4,400 in a second wave.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Nov 15, 2021
Intl. Code Council and Modular Building Institute release new off-site construction standards
‘Will create consistency for off-site construction; accelerate the industry’.
Codes and Standards | Nov 12, 2021
GSA will likely shrink federal office space post-COVID
Agency also needs to address maintenance backlog.
Codes and Standards | Nov 10, 2021
Los Angeles launches fast-track office tenant improvements program
Red tape to be cut to make interiors healthier and safer.
Codes and Standards | Nov 9, 2021
Florida state building professionals call for mandatory high-rise building inspections
Group recommendation comes in wake of Surfside condo collapse.
Codes and Standards | Nov 8, 2021
Dept. of Energy to fund 10 pilot smart building projects
Connected communities will accelerate renewable energy adoption and grid resilience.
Codes and Standards | Nov 3, 2021
Fact sheets offer strategies to improve indoor air quality in schools
Center for Green Schools at USGBC document for people without a technical background.
Codes and Standards | Nov 2, 2021
Rapid acceleration of affordable housing development expected over next five years
Federal government programs will spur construction.
Codes and Standards | Nov 1, 2021
New bird-friendly technical design guide released
National Glass Assn. document offers design and installation best practices for glazing.
Codes and Standards | Nov 1, 2021
World’s first chief heat officer tackles how to protect Miamians from extreme heat
Focus on chronic exposure for outdoor workers and for those that can’t afford AC.
Codes and Standards | Oct 28, 2021
Design competition launched to show role of mass timber in decarbonization
Forest Service and Softwood Lumber Board will award $2 million in grants to winning teams.
