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New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (NY CLCPA) calls for measures to achieve reductions in energy use by:

  • Transitioning water and heating to electricity.
  • Establishing appliance efficiency standards.
  • Instituting stronger building energy codes.
  • Requiring annual building energy benchmarking.
  • Expanding the ability of state facilities to use performance contracting.
  • Requiring the disclosure of energy efficiency in home sales.

At this point, it is unclear whether the Department of Environmental Conservation or a different state agency will use the Act to impose more rigorous efficiency standards on existing buildings.

What Is New York State Doing About Climate Change?

New York State has several policies and programs in place that focus on renewable energy sources, greenhouse gas reduction, and statewide climate planning to promote low energy use, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prepare against climate change. CLCPA is one of the plans.

What Is NY CLCPA?

The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act was passed in June 2019 to adopt measures to allow the state to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050. It is considered one of the most ambitious climate laws in the world. It establishes a Climate Action Council, which will be guided by the legal requirements contained in the Act.

What Does the CLCPA Do?

In addition to the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the CLCPA intends to direct a large portion of the program’s benefits toward historically disadvantaged communities determined by a myriad of factors such as socioeconomic, environmental hazards, and public health. The Act also plans to create community air monitoring programs to work on the community level to monitor air quality standards and pollutant levels. This addresses issues of air quality in communities affected by local air pollution and ensures that pollutants are eliminated first in disadvantaged communities.

Why Was the CLCPA Enacted?

This bill was passed to set the state on a path to net zero emissions across all sectors of the economy. The CLCPA timeline hopes to have 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2040. New York wishes to lead the way in protecting our communities and economy from the dangerous realities of climate change.

What Is the Scoping Plan?

The Scoping Plan is a project created by the Climate Action Council that will set out recommendations for reducing emissions across all sectors of the economy, such as transportation, building, industrial, commercial, and agricultural sectors. The plan is revised and updated every five years to adapt to changing needs of the state.

The Scoping Plan will help inform regulatory agencies as a part of the state’s overall energy plan. According to CLCPA section 7(2), state agencies will need to confirm their actions are in accordance with the goals of reducing greenhouse gasses, or otherwise be able to explain and justify the need for those decisions and have alternate plans in place that can be taken to reduce greenhouse gasses.

Henick-Lane Can Handle All of Your Commercial HVAC Needs

With more than five decades of providing superior commercial HVAC service, our team of experts specializes in providing affordable and practical solutions for all types of high-rise and commercial buildings. Contact us here or call (718) 768-7277 today; we can custom design an HVAC solution that will keep your tenants comfortable and satisfied. If your building requires service, maintenance, and/or repair, contact Henick-Lane Service Corp. today. You can also reach out to our professionals via email at info@henick-lane.com or service@henick-lane.com.

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We’ve all hoped that the ongoing pandemic and spread of COVID-19 would be resolved after these past two years. COVID-19 continues to affect lives and businesses, including our own here at the Henick-Lane family.

We remain dedicated to ensuring the safety of everyone at your places of business as if they were our own. Being proactive about air quality and health is vitally important in reducing the possibility of coronavirus spreading at your place of business.

Can Air Conditioning Spread COVID-19?

Many business owners ask us, “Can our HVAC system distribute COVID-19 to our employees and us?” and “Does COVID-19 mean we have to change our HVAC system?“

The answer to these questions is “Yes,” with some qualifiers. 

Unprotected, your air conditioning system can spread the droplets that carry COVID-19, but you can also use that same system to help prevent its spread in your places of business… protecting your employees and yourself.

By themselves, no air purifier or HVAC filter will completely prevent COVID-19 infection. The EPA says that HEPA filters and air cleaners – when used in combination with other recommended practices from the CDC – can deter the spread of coronavirus.

What About Coronavirus Variants?

There’s been much news coverage about and scientific investigation into coronavirus, especially the Delta variant and now the Omicron variant currently spreading through the nation. By following the EPA and CDC recommended practices along with HEPA filters and other contaminant reduction methods, you can reduce the potential for coronavirus to infect you and your employees.

Can HVAC Deter the Spread of Coronavirus?

As an airborne virus, ventilation and air quality are legitimate concerns. While HVAC changes and upgrades cannot eliminate the risk of COVID-19 transmission, some changes can make it less likely. This is especially important for places like schools, theaters, and other places where groups congregate. Even better, the changes made to deter air transmission of coronavirus will also inhibit the spread of other respiratory virus droplets, mold spores, etc. 

The CDC updated its air ventilation recommendations a few months ago. When you’re looking for the best protection and air quality from an HVAC plant, there are several metrics to consider:

HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters are the foundation of air quality at your sites. These remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and any airborne particles with a size of 0.1 microns. The diameter specification of 0.1 microns responds to the worst case; the most penetrating particle size (MPPS). Particles that are larger or smaller are trapped with even higher efficiency.

For better results, check if your system can still run efficiently if upgraded to MERV 13 filters. MERV is a metric for air filters that means Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values. MERV rating designate the Particle size in microns that are filtered. Not all HVAC systems can be upgraded to the highest MERV rating filters without severely impacting system performance. Ask our experts at Henick-Lane, and we can assess the best combination of solutions to address your air quality goals.

You can also add air cleaners to your HVAC systems to provide further protection. Air cleaners remove or decrease pollutants such as smoke, formaldehyde, or particles with viruses before they reach your HEPA filtration.

Another technology, bi-polar ionization, is also showing via an increasing body of evidence that it can also deter the spread of coronavirus and other contaminants. 

Ultraviolet light sterilization is another way to help clean the air. It uses specific wavelengths of ultraviolet light to deactivate viral particles and other potential biological contaminants before they reach you or your employees.

Henick-Lane Is Here for Your HVAC Needs

No matter what the size of your business is, our dedicated staff at Henick-Lane are here for you. We’re committed to working with you for cost-effective design, installation, and maintenance of your HVAC systems. Contact us today, and our experts will work with you on creating a solution for your workplace to help you stay comfortable and healthy.