Int. No. 1130

By Council Members Powers, Schulman, Joseph, Narcisse, Gennaro, Sanchez, Restler, Farías, Holden, Menin, Nurse, De La Rosa, Hanif, Abreu, Marte, Krishnan, Brewer, Avilés, Rivera, Riley, Louis, Feliz, Hudson and the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams) (in conjunction with the Brooklyn Borough President) (by request of the Manhattan Borough President)

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to standards and reporting regarding indoor air quality in city buildings

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Title 17 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new chapter 23 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 23

INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN CITY BUILDINGS

§ 17-2301 Indoor air quality in city buildings. a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following term has the following meaning:

City building. The term “city building” means any building, other than a school building, that is owned or leased by the city and in which the city controls the operation of the ventilation system and any other systems needed to regulate air quality in the building.

b. Indoor air quality standards. 1. The department shall promulgate rules within 18 months of the effective date of the local law that added this chapter setting standards for indoor air quality in city buildings and shall evaluate the need to update these rules yearly thereafter.

2. Such standards shall address the maintenance of acceptable temperature, relative humidity, and air changes per hour in city buildings. Such standards shall also address the identification and control of airborne pollutants in city buildings, including but not limited to carbon dioxide levels, carbon monoxide levels, levels of particulate pollution 2.5, and levels of volatile organic compounds.

c. Real-time indoor air quality monitoring and reporting 1. The department shall install real time indoor air quality monitors in all city buildings.

2. Such monitors shall be installed in the common spaces of such buildings, including entrances, lobbies, and hallways, as well as in spaces occupied by tenants of such buildings.

3. Such monitors shall be capable of measuring, at a minimum:

(a) Ambient temperature;

(b) Ambient humidity level;

(c) Carbon dioxide levels;

(d) Carbon monoxide levels;

(e) Levels of particulate pollution 2.5; and

(f) Levels of volatile organic compounds.

4. The testing needed to generate the information included in paragraph 3 of this subdivision for the report shall be performed by the commissioner of environmental protection or by such other parties as such commissioner may designate. When practicable, the commissioner of environmental protection shall also measure air changes per hour in all city buildings.

5. The real time air quality data gathered shall be posted conspicuously in the common spaces of such buildings.

6. The commissioner, in collaboration with the commissioner of environmental protection, shall post conspicuously on the department’s website a real-time report regarding air quality in city buildings displaying the data gathered pursuant to paragraph 3 of this subdivision as a real-time dashboard available to the public.

7. The real-time report required by paragraph 6 of this subdivision shall include a data dictionary, which shall be updated annually as needed.

8. No report required by paragraph 6 of this subdivision shall contain personally identifiable information.

d. Annual indoor air quality reporting. 1. No later than December 31 of each year, the commissioner in collaboration with the commissioner of environmental protection, shall submit to the speaker of the council and shall post conspicuously on the department’s website an annual report regarding indoor air quality in city buildings.

2. The report shall include but need not be limited to the following annual information for all common spaces of city buildings, including entrances, lobbies, and hallways, as well as in spaces occupied by tenants of such buildings, as well as any additional annual information the commissioner deems appropriate:

(a) Annual trend line of the daily average ambient temperature;

(b) Annual trend line of the daily average ambient humidity levels;

(c) Annual trend line of the daily average carbon dioxide levels;

(d) Annual trend line of the daily average carbon monoxide levels;

(e) Annual trend line of the daily average levels of particulate pollution 2.5; and

(f) Annual trend line of the daily average levels of volatile organic compounds.

3. The testing needed to generate the information included in paragraph 2 of this subdivision for the report shall be performed by the commissioner of environmental protection or by such other parties as such commissioner may designate. When practicable, the commissioner of environmental protection shall also measure the annual trend line of daily air changes per hour in city buildings.

4. The report required by paragraph 1 of this subdivision shall include a data dictionary, which shall be updated annually as needed.

5. No report required by paragraph 1 of this subdivision shall contain personally identifiable information.

e. Indoor air quality outreach and education. The department, in coordination with any other relevant agency, shall conduct outreach and education to increase awareness of indoor air quality, including, but not limited to, producing guides to help the public understand real-time air quality data and recommendations on how to improve air quality in indoor settings.

§ 2. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law, except that the commissioner of health and mental hygiene shall take such measures as are necessary for the implementation of this local law, including the promulgation of rules, before such date.

EH

LS #13447

7/6/23