CASE STUDY – TO IMPROVE GRADE FROM “C” TO “B”
Services:
The Owner of this 1900 commercial office building cooperative hired IGP to provide recommendations to improve the LL33 Energy Efficiency Grade of C, based on the 2019 LL84 Benchmarking. The Owner also wanted to improve the Energy Efficiency Grade to avoid possible LL97 Building Energy and Carbon Emissions Limits penalties. If the Owner does nothing, the estimated LL97 penalties would be $80,000 per year, beginning in 2029. IGP prepared a detailed 25-page Energy Efficiency Action Plan which included:
- recommended Energy Conservation Measures and Benefits,
- detailed description and photos of all base building systems,
- a summary of New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act,
- financing alternatives,
- available incentives, and
- Next Steps
Property Information:
- Market Type: Commercial Cooperative with a retail store on ground floor and offices on floors 2 through 13
- # of Buildings: 1
- Year Built: 1900 to 1905
- Building Area: 109,000 sq ft
- Total Units: 12 commercial office, 1 retail
- Direct metered for electricity
- Heating Fuel: natural gas
- Heating distribution: 2-pipe air-vent steam system (fl 1-11); with 1-pipe steam (fl 12 & 13)
Using a thermal imaging camera IGP identified significant amount of cold air penetrating the air shaft windows next to the elevator.
The Commercial Cooperative Action Plan Summary recommendations only are summarized in the pdf document below: Fifth Ave Commercial Bldg_ ECM Summary of IGP Site Visit 2-20
This commercial office building was built before the steam trap was invented. This 2-pipe Air-Vent System radiator needs a new vent put on properly. The steam trap on the return side is wrong. This 1900 era system never used steam traps. To read an article about this old system go to Heating Help at : https://heatinghelp.com/systems-help-center/two-pipe-air-vent-steam-heating/