The EP team maintains top engineering certifications and continues to stay atop of the latest new requirements and developments around a host of construction-services scopes, including those in sustainable design, telecommunications, energy benchmarking, fire safety, plumbing and electrical. We’re pleased to share our wealth of knowledge around industry best-practices by sharing continued updates.
The City of Yes for Housing Opportunity expands the pool of office buildings that may be converted to housing. Conversion was previously allowed in central business districts for office buildings built before 1961 (or 1977, for certain districts). Now it is allowed for buildings built before 1991, …Read More
The NYC updated electrical code is finally arriving. Under LL128 of 2024, the 2025 NYC Electrical Code takes effect December 21, 2025. There is an option to follow the new code prior to that, depending on the project type. The date will follow the primary filing date. Here …Read More
As buildings become increasingly connected, telecom infrastructure has become just as essential as mechanical or electrical systems. Whether it’s supporting internet service, life safety systems, access control, or AV, properly designed telecom rooms are foundational to long-term reliability and scalability. This article outlines the different types of …Read More
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently phasing down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the United States. This impacts several industries, with a significant focus on the use of specific refrigerants in air conditioning and heat pump equipment. HFC refrigerants, most notably R-410A, replaced hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) …Read More
The city enacted a new Local Law in April of 2024, which affects new and existing parking garages, open parking lots, and buildings containing these facilities. LL55/24 adds requirements for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), commonly referred to as EV charging stations. The requirements are retroactive, and …Read More
NOTE: This article focuses on the applicability of NYCECC exemptions to Landmarked and Historic buildings and does not cover other types of exemptions. Please refer to 2020 NYCECC Section ECC 101, “Scope and General Requirements,” for more information. Introduction – NYCECC, LPC, NRHP The New York City Energy Conservation …Read More
The local laws for lighting upgrades and submetering are coming into effect, January 1, 2025. Per Local Law 88 of 2009, and Local Laws 132 and 134 of 2016, buildings over 25,000 square feet must have the following: Lighting that is compliant with current energy code. Submetering for all tenant …Read More
NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (NYC HPD) first created 421-a in 1971 to grant partial tax exemptions to developers in exchange for the creation of affordable housing. Since its inception, HPD has opened, closed, and modified the 421-a program serval times. On April 20, 2024, …Read More
The New York City Building Code contains several different sections regarding smoke management features and building stair enclosures. There is often some confusion over which aspects of these code sections apply to specific projects. The three primary means of smoke management within stair enclosures are listed below: Stairwell …Read More
As of the 2014 NYC Building Code, buildings with occupied more than 120’ above fire department vehicle access height must be provided with at least one fire service access elevator (NYC Building Code 403.6.1). This elevator allows trained fire department personal to utilize the elevator during a …Read More
