Ban On Glass Skyscrapers Part Of NYC's War On Climate Change

NEW YORK — This might shatter some architects' dreams. New York City plans to ban energy-guzzling glass skyscrapers under a municipal "Green New Deal" that Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled Monday.

The Democratic mayor's sweeping $14 billion plan to combat climate change includes a proposal to stop allowing new buildings with all-glass facades unless they meet certain environmental standards.

"If a company wants to build a big skyscraper, they can use a lot of glass if they do all the other things needed to reduce the emissions," de Blasio, a Democrat, said at a news conference. "But putting up monuments to themselves that harmed our earth and threatened our future — that will no longer be allowed in New York City."

Buildings made largely from glass are far less efficient than others because they require more energy to keep them warm or cool, according to de Blasio.

While the city would not ban glass-heavy edifices outright, developers who want to build them would have to take other steps to save energy and compensate for the use of the material, city officials said.

For example, Murray Hill's glass-sheathed American Copper building uses "high-performance" glass along with other materials that help it contribute to the city's emission reductions, said Mark Chambers, the director of the Mayor's Office of Sustainability.

De Blasio said the city will introduce legislation to make the shift. It will be accomplished by changing the city's energy code, which one must follow to get a building permit, he said.

"I think what it’s going to mean is a lot of building owners are not going to build those kind of buildings, or if they choose to they’re going to have to do a lot to compensate with other energy-saving measures," de Blasio said.

The proposal is just one piece of the mayor's plan to fight climate change, which he said would reduce emissions in the city 30% by 2030.

In another key plank, de Blasio said the city government would shift to using 100% renewable electricity within five years in a move away from fossil fuels.

The government currently uses as much electricity in an average day as the entire state of Vermont, and soon all of it will come from sources such as hydropower produced in Canada, according to city officials.

The plan also includes the world's first benchmarks for the Big Apple's largest buildings to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The City Council passed a bill to establish the emissions-reduction goals on Thursday.

De Blasio unveiled his own "Green New Deal" as he considers a run for president. The concept of a Green New Deal — a proposal to shift the nation to renewable energy sources — has gained traction among Democrats in recent months. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is among those championing the idea.