Zoning for Decarbonization

In April 2023, the NYC Department of City Planning proposed amendments to the city’s zoning resolution that would modernize the zoning code to make it easier to meet our climate goals. The proposed changes—referred to as City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality—will cover energy, buildings, transportation, waste and stormwater, and they include recommendations from Urban Green’s 2018 Zone Greener report.

If enacted, these changes will remove some existing barriers to decarbonization projects in the NYC zoning code, and are particularly important for buildings. This panel discussion looked at how the new zoning changes will enable energy-efficient design and retrofits, as well as electrification, solar, battery storage, and other building decarbonization projects.

Speakers:
Adam Cohen | CTO and Co-Founder, Nine Dot Energy
Nilus Klingel | Senior Planner, NYC Dept. of City Planning
Kate Selden | Solar Policy Analyst, Solar One
Stas Zakrzewski | Principal and Co-Founder, ZH Architects
Danielle Manley (Moderator) | Policy Manager, Urban Green Council