In 2012, the City of New York adopted a package of revisions to the NYC Zoning Resolution, collectively called “Zone Green,” in order to facilitate more sustainable and energy-efficient design. Zone Green addressed impediments to building thicker, better-insulated walls and installing solar panels, solar shading systems, green roofs, greenhouses and more.
Fast forward 6 years: Zone Green has successfully solved the problems anticipated at the time, but there are now new technologies and new barriers. Last fall, Urban Green convened a Task Force of over 40 stakeholders to develop a roadmap for additional upgrades to the Zoning Resolution, which would further facilitate the next generation of green building. The Task Force identified several major new wall-related issues, which expert panelists will address: high-performance curtain walls, thermal bridging, the re-cladding or over-cladding of mid-century modern buildings and super-efficient walls. They will also discuss the successes of Zone Green in facilitating new masonry walls and the addition of exterior insulation.