NZC Buildings: 2019
Councilor O’Malley’s first order of NZC business in the new year was to refile (per City Council requirements when a new calendar year begins) hearing orders. Toward this end, on January 16, he refiled a slightly reworded order to amend the definition of the floor area ratio (FAR) when developers are constructing a net-zero-carbon building as well as an order requiring all new municipal buildings be net-zero carbon. (Both are linked below, with additional information.) Note that Councilor Wu has joined the municipal NZC buildings order as co-sponsor; Councilor Baker remains the co-sponsor on the FAR amendment.
Watch the video clip of the City Council meeting to hear Councilor O’Malley’s comments on these two refilings as well as Councilor Wu’s comments: https://youtu.be/4OgYjSsIldE?t=1187
Next step will be to hold City Council hearings on both of these orders; the plan is to have these hearings in February. Working sessions will then follow.
FAR Hearing Order
Here is what Councilor Wu wrote in her Council meeting notes for January 16 on this refiling:
Zoning Code for Gross Floor Area: Councilors O’Malley and Baker refiled a zoning text amendment that would redefine Gross Floor Area in the Boston Zoning Code to be measured from the interior of the wall, rather than the exterior. The current zoning code defines the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) as the ratio of the gross floor area of a structure to the total area of the lot, and the Gross Floor Area as the sum of areas of the several floors of the structure as measured by the exterior faces of the wall. If the zoning code is amended, this would give developers more flexibility to have thicker walls that would not count against their developable space, and they can include increased insulation in their buildings, increasing energy efficiency and decreasing the buildings’ carbon footprint. The matter was assigned to the Planning, Development, and Transportation Committee.
Municipal NZC Hearing Order
Here is what Councilor Wu wrote in her Council meeting notes for January 16 on this refiling:
Net Zero Carbon Requirements: Councilor O’Malley and I refiled a hearing order on requiring all new municipal buildings to have net zero carbon requirements. The Council had several working sessions on the benefits of having net carbon zero requirements, and other cities have already established roadmaps to achieving net zero carbon in their municipal buildings. In Boston, buildings contribute to over half of the greenhouse gas emissions. Councilor O’Malley referenced the City’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2050, and that in the year 2019, we are closer to 2050 than to 1987. I also stood to offer a reminder that the international and national reports have given us until 2030 to drastically lower our emissions. We should set these net zero requirements for new municipal buildings–which is entirely within our control–immediately. The matter was assigned to the Environment, Sustainability and Parks Committee for a hearing.
NZC for New Buildings Rollout: Fall 2018
After a year-long process that included a public hearing with expert panelists and three public working sessions with numerous net-zero-carbon experts from fields of architecture, engineering, development, real estate law, academia, and others, Councilor Matt O’Malley on October 3 began the rollout of a policy portfolio of incentives to help move new buildings in Boston toward achieving NZC. The first two filings include:
—Resolution (#1456) in Support of the 2018 International Green Construction Code (2018-IgCC); co-sponsored by Councilor Michelle Wu and unanimously supported by the City Council
—An Order (#1457) Regarding a Text Amendment for Boston Zoning Code for Gross Floor Area; co-sponsored by Councilor Frank Baker and unanimously supported by the City Council
Councilor O’Malley indicated at the City Council session on Oct. 3 when he presented these filings that more would be coming in future weeks. Watch the video clip of Councilor O’Malley’s comments and presentation of these filings here.
Also on Oct. 3, WGBH ran a piece on the fact that one out of every five new buildings being built in Boston is not energy efficient and actually scores very low on that point. Listen to the WGBH piece here.
Background
Third NZC Working Session
In August 2018 Councilor Matt O’Malley—chair of the Committee on the Environment, Sustainability, and Parks—held the third and final working session on net-zero-carbon incentives for new buildings in Boston. At this session a dozen experts in attendance discussed the top 10 suggestions for incentives on the list produced at the second working session as prioritized via email prior to the meeting. These included the following:
—Use density bonuses as an incentive for new NZC buildings
—Lower current parking requirements for buildings
—Improve EUI reporting
—Use land-disposition process
—Create Net-Zero-Overlay District
—Follow Architecture 2030 program
—Hire an engineer to test energy models
—Convert to heat pumps
—Expedite permitting
—Change FAR definition to measure from internal wall
—Require eco roofs of various kinds
Second NZC Working Session
On May 15 Councilor Matt O’Malley held the second working session to craft an ordinance that will move new buildings in Boston toward net-zero carbon. We know that buildings account for more than half of all our greenhouse gas emissions and that if we are going to reach the Mayor’s stated goal of Boston’s being carbon neutral by 2050, we cannot fuel the buildings in the city’s third largest construction boom with gas. BCEC is working closely with Councilor O’Malley on this effort.
Moving new construction toward net-zero carbon means developing incentives and regulations now, with input from all stakeholders. Toward that end, Councilor O’Malley’s second public working session asked all participants (architects, engineers, real estate attorneys, and more) to put forward specific suggestions for NZC incentives and regulations. An excellent list resulted, and in the next working session the group will assess and evaluate these posited ideas. The desired goal is a City Council ordinance by the end of 2018 that establishes incentives and regulations for new buildings to be net-zero carbon. The final NZC working session will be in July or August, date TBD. These sessions are open to the public.
First NZC Working Session
In March 2018 Councilor O’Malley convened the first working session to continue the process of crafting an ordinance that will move new buildings in Boston toward net-zero carbon. The effort began last year with a Council hearing.
Moving new construction toward net-zero carbon means developing incentives and regulations now with input from all stakeholders. Toward that end, Councilor O’Malley’s public working sessions seek to include architects, engineers, professors, builders, developers, and real estate attorneys as well as representatives from the administration engaging in the process. Two future working sessions will build toward the goal of passing an ordinance by the end of 2018 that establishes incentives and regulations for new buildings to be net-zero carbon.
For more information on the NZC hearing and process, click here.