new york city bldg. energy retrofits

nicholas bonham-carter

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/science/earth/22green.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=todayspaper&adxnnlx=1240412483-3c0SjJ8KLXEVZOIv1KKRWg

dan's news letter refers to mandatory nyc bldg. energy reduction standards, unpopular with the landlords.

maybe they should try EDUCATION instead of LEGISLATION. the gas company [and electric co. too] could obtain the square footage information of their customers bldgs from the tax records and calculate the fuel use per square foot per degree day for the last few years. they could then spot the energy hogs, and make a polite call to the customer," did you know your energy consumption is the highest on the block"?

probably that might get more attention from owners of systems with "deferred maintainance". sometimes the simplest of maintainance can produce the quickest of paybacks [burner cleaning, adjusting pressure, replacing main vents, replacing thermostats/controls, and shovelling the mud out of the bottom of the boiler]. some sort of property tax credit for those repairs might be effective as well.--nbc

Larry Weingarten

I think...

... you and Henry Gifford might get along. He's got good, practical ideas and un-muddied thinking. Here's his site. http://www.energysavingscience.com/

Yours, Larry