NYCHA Continues Heating Performance Improvements and Invests $78.8 Million in Heating Infrastructure Investments

June 2, 2023June 2, 2023 Michael

The renovations made this past winter represent the Authority’s ongoing dedication to meeting obligations of the 2019 HUD Agreement, while investing in more sustainable heating systems and improving quality of life for residents

NYCHA observed a nine percent decrease in heat or hot water outages this year and maintained an eight-hour average restoration time — continuing to address outages ahead of the 12-hour requirement established by HUD and the 24-hour requirement imposed on private landlords

With the close of the 2022-2023 heat season on May 31, NYCHA announced continued performance improvements, along with more than $78.8 million in heating infrastructure investments this past winter, benefitting nearly 11,000 households at 10 campuses across Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan. The total investment in heating system renovation work was made possible by leveraging a range of funding sources and represents an agency-wide focus on both improving the performance of heat and hot water systems for residents and investing in more sustainable, reliable, and lower operational cost heating systems. These infrastructure investments go hand in hand with performance improvements, including a nine percent decrease in heat or hot water outages from the previous heating season. Heat is a key pillar of the 2019 agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), with the May 2021 approval of the City Capital Action Plan unlocking $2.2 billion in funding to address heating service and other infrastructure needs.

Each year, during the heating season — which is October 1 through May 31— all New York City building owners must maintain an indoor temperature of at least 68 degrees between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. when it’s below 55 degrees outside. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., indoor temperature must be at least 62 degrees, regardless of the temperature outside. Hot water must be kept at a minimum temperature of 120 degrees at the source year-round.

NYCHA’s Heating Management, Operations, Emergency Management and Services, and Asset and Capital Management departments work collaboratively throughout the year to repair and maintain the Authority’s extensive network of boilers, distribution equipment, and hot water systems that deliver heat and hot water service to public housing residents across New York City.

In addition to nine percent fewer heat or hot water outages at developments for the 2022-2023 heating season, NYCHA maintained an eight-hour average restoration time – four hours ahead of the HUD requirement of 12 hours, and 16 hours ahead of the requirement for private landlords to provide within 24 hours. NYCHA has met and exceeded the goal set by HUD every year since the signing of the Agreement.

“As a pillar of the 2019 HUD Agreement, heat is a paramount quality of life concern for NYCHA residents,” said Interim CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “The investment of $78.8 million in significant equipment upgrades across 10 developments, benefitting 11,000 NYCHA families, demonstrates our commitment and ongoing efforts to improve the delivery of these crucial services.”

“This year, we saw a nine percent decrease in heat or hot water outages,” said Chief Operating Officer Eva Trimble. “And we maintained an average of eight hours for restoration time, thereby meeting our obligations under the HUD Agreement. The system upgrades and equipment investments made this year are another step forward in improving our heat service.”

Ten NYCHA developments — Glenwood Houses, Kingsborough Houses, Whitman Houses, Highbridge Gardens, Taft Houses, Polo Grounds Towers, Robinson Houses, Ingersoll Houses, and Vladeck I and Vladeck II Houses — received a host of capital investments in heating infrastructure and components during the 2022-2023 season totaling $78.8 million, including the installation of energy-efficient boilers, hot water heaters, storage tanks, electrical panels, plumbing equipment, zone valves, and steam pipes. Additional investments included the installation of building management systems to better calibrate the delivery of heat to individual apartments.

The scope of heating system renovation work at the 10 developments includes:

Glenwood Houses: The project involved the installation of four energy-efficient boilers and all associated equipment, including piping, exhaust ducts, control panels, and boiler control systems at a cost of more than $10 million.
Kingsborough Houses: The project involved the installation of a building management system (BMS), including apartment temperature sensors and the connection of steam zone valves to the BMS to provide comfortable apartment temperatures between 72 and 74 degrees in all 17 buildings at a cost of more than $3.4 million.
Whitman Houses: The project involved the installation of instantaneous domestic hot water heaters (IDHW) for all 15 buildings at a cost of more than $4.7 million.
Highbridge Gardens: The project involved the renovation of the underground steam distribution system at the development by installing two major pipelines of steam heat and condensate piping at a cost of more than $1 million.
Taft Houses: The project involved the installation of three new upgraded boilers, 27 domestic hot water heaters, new gas service and associated tanks, heat pumps, controls, and piping at a cost of more than $32.8 million.
Polo Grounds Towers: The project involved the replacement of the underground low-pressure steam (LPS) and condensate return (LPR) distribution systems associated with the heating system (between the buildings). Along with water mains and related fire line systems, telecommunication conduits were also installed. The total cost of the project is more than $8.9 million.
Robinson Houses: The project involved decoupling domestic hot water and heating systems within the existing central boiler plant. For heating, the existing equipment was replaced with two high-efficiency condensing boilers. The domestic hot water system also received two high-efficiency, gas-fired condensing hot water heaters. The total cost of this project is more than $8 million.
Ingersoll, Whitman, Vladeck I, and Vladeck II Houses: This project involved the installation of heating controls and building management systems to better manage heating service delivery at these developments at a cost of approximately $10 million.

The capital investment for these projects came primarily from federal and City funding. Several of these projects were also subsidized through Energy Performance Contracts, a financing technique that uses cost savings from reduced energy consumption to repay the cost of installing energy conservation measures.

Some of these upgrades involve transitioning NYCHA’s hot water heating infrastructure from steam heating systems to hydronic (hot water) heating systems. By decoupling hot water heating systems from traditional centralized space heating systems, the Authority expects to increase the efficiency of its systems and enhance operational capacity.

The use of hydronic hot water heating system technology has two clear advantages. First, it enables heating management staff to reduce year-round preventative maintenance efforts that disrupt the provision of hot water service to residents. Secondly, the investments help reduce energy consumption by utilizing more efficient heat systems. The Authority has committed to achieving an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050.

In September 2021, the Authority released a Sustainability Agenda to outline the strategy for achieving this goal. Pursuing Energy Performance Contracts, integrating innovative technologies, and transitioning away from systems that use fossil fuels were identified as key tools for reaching deep carbon reductions.

For more information on NYCHA’s modernization initiatives, click here.

Photo caption: A new boiler at Brooklyn’s Whitman Houses.