Maintenance and engineering managers have been hearing more about building electrification in recent years as a strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Earlier this year, Washington joined several other states that have enacted legislation requiring electrification of new commercial buildings. Now, New York City is putting money where its electrification goals are.
New York City recently announced a plan called Leading the Charge, which commits $4 billion to electrifying existing school buildings and constructing new schools as all-electric buildings. The goals are to improve air quality, combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and develop a green workforce, along with converting 100 existing schools to all-electric heating before 2030.
The city also plans to end the use of heating oil in schools and install LED lighting in 800 schools before 2026. The program includes a provision to replace fossil fuel boilers with all-electric heat pumps. The plan is to electrify 19 existing schools over the next two fiscal years, which is intended to help meet the city’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor of the facilities market. He has more than 25 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
