Resources

a man in a hard hat is standing next to a building

FISP

New York City’s Façade Inspection & Safety Program (also known as Local Law 11/98) requires that owners of buildings greater than 6 stories must have their buildings’ exterior walls and appurtenances inspected once every 5 years and file a technical report with the Department of Buildings.

Below you will find useful links to more info regarding NYC’s Facade Inspection and Safety Program.

Climate Mobilization Act

The Climate Mobilization Act is a set of groundbreaking laws passed in NYC in 2019. These new laws are among the most rigorous greenhouse gas emissions reduction programs in the world. Since the building sector represents 71% of emissions in NYC, these laws were designed to reduce emissions from the city’s largest buildings.

Within the CMA are Local Laws 95 and 97. Local Law 95 requires that buildings post their energy efficiency grades in the lobby, similar to restaurant’s sanitation grades. Local Law 97 sets energy use targets and fines for overuse of energy for different building types. Buildings are already being benchmarked for their carbon emissions. The first target date for minor reductions will be in 2024. The next target will be 40% reductions in 2030. NYC is targeting carbon neutrality by 2050.

a pie chart showing the percentage of greenhouse gas emissions
a long hallway with wooden floors and white walls

Passive House

Passive House is a strict building standard for energy efficiency:  the main components of Passive House are continuous insulation, air tightness, heat recovery ventilation, high performance windows, and thermal bridge free construction.

Below you will find some helpful links to Passive House resources where you can learn more about the most energy efficient building standard in the world!

Historic Preservation

At Henson Architecture, our approach to historic preservation is preserving the original character and architectural significance of historic structures, while ensuring that they remain active contributors in our modern urban fabric.

We work closely with skilled tradespeople and artisans to provide our clients with the highest quality restorative work.

Below you will find some useful links for learning more about historic preservation.

a city street filled with lots of tall buildings