“From coastal resiliency and sustainable green practices to the preservation of affordable housing, world-class public art, and vibrant, year-round programming in award-winning public spaces, Battery Park City leads the way in many of the measures that makes cities livable."
The Battery Park City Sustainability Plan is a comprehensive pathway to achieve progressive sustainability targets over the next decade, and lays the groundwork for continued sustainability action after 2030. We envision a Battery Park City that will serve as an innovative model for urban climate action, where all of us who live, work, and spend time here mobilize to create a sustainable future.
Since the release of the BPC Sustainability Plan, the neighborhood has made progress toward the goals and ambitions set out in 2020. Recent efforts include the implementation of major coastal resilience projects, a biodiversity and urban tree canopy audit to inform habitat management, and purposeful updates to BPCA practices and protocols to better align with sustainability objectives. The September 2024 progress report contains the key findings from a comprehensive review of progress made toward the goals outlined in the BPC Sustainability Plan between the calendar years 2020 and 2023. (Some progress is determined based on New York City Local Law 84 (LL84) benchmarking data, which is typically released in Fall of the following year, so this progress report contains 2022 updates for LL84-based results.)
Efforts on implementation of BPC’s Sustainability Plan since 2020 have also highlighted areas where some commitments should be re-evaluated to determine a preferred as the plan of action, and other areas there may have been slower progress due to hurdles the neighborhood may need to overcome in future years. This progress report will set the foundation for a deeper understanding of progress and provide an opportunity to influence action as we get closer to 2030. Highlights of the sustainability progress made by Battery Park City’s across its four sustainable topic areas — Energy, Water, Materials & Waste, and Site — are as follows.
Progress Highlights: ENERGY BPCA has made significant progress in understanding building energy use and studying the potential for energy efficiency across the neighborhood through projects such as the development of the BPC Building Inventory and the District Energy Feasibility Study. There is still progress to be made in deep energy retrofits for buildings and implementing enhanced electrification in building energy systems.
– About 40% of BPC buildings’ GHG emissions are below LL97 2030 targets. Target of all buildings’ emissions to be below Local Law 97 2030 target by 2029.
– On-site combustion from fossil fuels is 773 million kBtu, an 13% reduction from the baseline. Target of fossil fuel combustion being capped at 831 million kBtu by 2030.
– As a step towards planning for energy reduction, BPCA’s space at 75 Battery Place completed an ASHRAE Level II energy audit.
– Fourteen percent (14%) of BPC electricity comes from renewable energy sources. Target of 70% of BPC electricity coming from renewable resources by 2030.
– As of 2022, there has been a 2.5% reduction in BPC GHG emissions from 2017 levels. Target of 33% reductions in GHG emissions from 2017 levels by 2030.
Progress Highlights: WATER Through efforts such as the resiliency projects and piloting permeable pavers, BPCA has made strides toward improving stormwater management and becoming resilient to future storms in BPC. More can be done to improve the monitoring and management of water consumption within buildings and to maximize on-site greywater treatment and reuse.
– As of 2022, BPC building water use intensity has reduced on average by 35% since 2017. Target to reduce the water use intensity for residential and commercial buildings 10% by 2030.
– BPCA completed a pilot project to test permeable pavement options and is using the results of the pilot to inform its use in capital projects.
– BPCA has continued investment and design and construction work on major climate resiliency projects across the neighborhood.
Progress Highlights: MATERIALS & WASTE BPCA has made significant progress in its zero waste and composting initiatives, particularly through hosting public events and outreach campaigns to foster community involvement in waste minimization and waste diversion efforts. The ongoing resiliency projects also prioritize material reuse. The extent and frequency of waste audits can be improved to further understand and prevent excess waste generation.
– The South Battery Park City Resiliency Project has been able to divert 48% of materials from landfill.
– Numerous waste-related events have been held in BPC to promote behavior change for waste reduction and increased recycling and reuse.
– BPCA added more than 60 recycling bins to the parks, providing recycling options for the first time in BPC open spaces.
– As of 2022, there has been a 16% reduction in compacted landfill waste in BPC compared to 2019. Target of 50% reduction in compacted landfill waste by 2030.
– BPCA’s Composting Program has increased its processed weight of organic waste by 57% from 2020 to 2023.
Progress Highlights: SITE Open space and parks in BPC are important resources to the local community and to NYC at large. BPCA has been working to better understand the biodiversity and local habitats within BPC, improve standards for protecting trees, and increase awareness of the rich biodiversity within the neighborhood through community engagement and education. There is still work to be done to encourage active transportation and to expand EV charging infrastructure across the neighborhood.
– A weather station was installed in the North End Avenue median to better understand the local microclimate.
– A biodiversity audit was conducted of BPC parks to better understand local plant and animal life.
– A salinity tolerance study was performed on existing plants to determine which should be replaced.
– Tree planting standards and a tree replacement policy has been developed for construction projects.
– An urban tree canopy assessment was completed for BPC. This included an urban heat island assessment to understand outdoor thermal comfort in the neighborhood.
Sustainability Investments
In addition to the highlights above, BPCA is also using its bonding capacity to invest in a more sustainable future.
In July 2019, the Authority issued $76.3 million in Sustainability Bonds to fund Phase 1 of its Capital Plan, which includes development of a comprehensive resiliency infrastructure – entailing perimeter storm barriers, flood protection systems, waterproofing, and landscaping to protect its residents and assets from climate change. The proceeds also financed projects that enhance public access to open space, accessibility and walkability, and preserve the socio-cultural attributes of Battery Park City. As a result BPCA was selected as the Northeast Deal of the Year by Bond Buyer for its $673 million offering, of which Sustainability Bonds were a part. The issuance was supported by a second party opinion of the financed projects.
In June 2023, BPCA issued $349 million in Sustainability Bonds to continue funding its Capital Plan, providing ongoing infrastructure improvements that advance positive environmental and social outcomes related to climate-resilient infrastructure, energy efficiency, and clean transportation. A second party opinion evaluated the BPCA Sustainability Framework and determined it is credible and impactful and aligns with the Sustainability Bond Guidelines 2021, Green Bond Principles 2021, and Social Bond Principles 2021.
BPCA will continue to publish progress reports to keep the community informed and engaged, ensuring transparency and accountability. In 2025, BPCA will release a formal Sustainability Plan update and recommit to a holistic sustainability vision, acknowledging any direction shifts.
Readers of the progress report are encouraged to review materials and regular updates provided on the BPCA Sustainability webpage, sign up for newsletters, attend sustainability-related programming across the neighborhood, and reflect on your own practices and how you can play a part in BPC’s efforts for a more sustainable future.
View a summary of the BPC Sustainability Plan Progress Report here.
Read the full BPC Sustainability Plan Progress Report here.
