Retrofitting Multifamily Dwellings in New York Disadvantaged Communities
Abstract
How can we retrofit older dwellings in New York, New York for improved energy efficiency and climate resilience?
A majority of New York’s housing infrastructure has not been updated in nearly a century. With the rise of climate change increasing numbers of people are either displaced from their homes or forced to stay in homes that are unsafe. In order to keep this from continuing and to help mitigate their own contribution to climate change, New York must adopt climate resilient infrastructure. After researching New York’s current housing infrastructure we propose two additions and one improvement that will help reduce the effects of climate change and protect its citizens. The three upgrades that we propose include the installation of cold climate heat pumps, green roofs and the improvement of insulation. The addition of green roofs and the improvement of current insulation will help protect against floods and water damage as well as keep the cool air inside of the residence preventing heat and mold related health problems. Part of our proposal requires buildings to get rid of their old heating systems and replace them with cold climate heat pumps which will provide the cold air to the residents as well as save them money on their monthly expenses. This project will focus on the Bronx due to its high density of disadvantaged communities that are most affected by climate issues. By evaluating the types of housing units in the Bronx we have determined that the average housing development contains six units with each unit being approximately 800 sq ft. With these additions and improvements we attribute a cost of $455,000,000 total to our proposal including labor, materials, and maintenance. However, with tax abatements, tax credits, and annual savings the cost of the project will be offset 9 years after full implementation.
