Local Law 88: Upgrade of Lighting Systems for Applicable Con Edison Facilities by 2025

In order to meet the company’s goals for implementing energy efficient lighting, and compliance with Local Law 88, which establishes standards for lighting upgrades and submetering, we are replacing all existing lighting at our facilities with energy efficient LED lighting. This lighting is approximately 50% more efficient on average than our existing lighting. Automatic lighting controls and daylight harvesting will be implemented to reduce energy used for lighting as much as feasible. Construction has been completed at our Davis Avenue, Third Avenue, and College Point sites which yielded savings of almost 45%. We plan to make similar improvements at our remaining facilities.

Local Law 97: Reduce emissions produced by NYC building to reach net-zero by 2050

One of the most ambitious plans for reducing GHG emissions in the nation, Local Law 97 was part of the Climate Mobilization Act, passed by the City Council in April 2019 as part of Mayor DeBlasio’s New York City Green New Deal. Under this groundbreaking law, most buildings over 25,000 square feet are required to meet new energy efficiency and GHG limits as of 2024, with stricter limits coming into effect in 2030. The goal of the law is to reduce the emissions produced by the city’s largest buildings by 40 percent by 2030 and net zero by 2050. Working with a consultant, the Company continues to evaluate our facilities to prioritize building and operational improvements that reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with our buildings.

Sustainable Facility Design & Infrastructure

CECONY and O&R incorporate sustainability and resiliency into the planning, design and construction of its new buildings and renovations of its existing facilities. For example, CECONY adopted the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) methodology in planning, engineering, constructing and commissioning a new-build data center. LEED certification is a rare designation for data centers. If successful, ours will be one of approximately 20 LEED-certified data centers in the U.S. and one of 70 globally. The servers at the data center have been replaced with new, energy-efficient servers. Modular air-cooled chillers were installed to cool the servers. Such chillers do not require the large amount of water consumed by an evaporative cooling tower and water-cooled chiller system, providing a sustainable solution for the often water-intensive process of cooling servers. These chillers can reduce and vary their power consumption to match the heat load of the building and provide greater system reliability. The installation of these chillers has reduced water use by more than 40%. The data center boasts 100% LED interior and exterior lighting. Other environmental design improvements include the addition of bike racks and a solar-reflective roof covering.

In 2023, CECONY completed the gut renovation of our former Van Nest Cable Lab to create modern, flexible office and support space for employees operating in the Bronx. During planning, the design was evaluated for sustainability and energy efficiency under the LEED Interior Design and Construction (Commercial Interiors) framework. The project incorporated locally-sourced materials, including recycled carpeting and an all-electric HVAC system. LED lighting and low-flow water fixtures are also features of this renovation.

We are currently finalizing the design for two new-build service centers. The new Sherman Creek Service Center, located in the Inwood District of Manhattan, has the goal of achieving at minimum LEED Gold certification for new office construction. This new service center will include both a green roof and a solar parking canopy that will help power the facility. The facility will also have an all-electric variable refrigerant flow HVAC system in lieu of a gas-fired system. At CECONY’s service center located at Worth Street, Yonkers, NY, development plans are being finalized to optimize this 8-acre former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site. The site master plan includes the construction of a new service center building above the floodplain to replace the existing 1920’s facility.

Powering Our Headquarters with Solar

As a strong proponent of solar power, Con Edison installed its own photovoltaic electric generation system at the CECONY headquarters in 2014, on the roof of the 19th floor. One goal of the project was to integrate the largest possible PV system given the limited space available. Today, the system consists of 209 solar panels, totaling 53kW (DC) of nameplate capacity. This solar system helps power our headquarters, reducing the building’s carbon footprint.

CECONY's photovoltaic electric generation system installed on the roof of Headquarters.