SUSTAINABLE ROOFING ZONE REQUIREMENTS
Effective November 15, 2019, Local Laws 92 and 94 of 2019 will amend the 2014
Administrative Code and Chapter 15 of the New York City Building Code to require, subject to certain
exceptions (see below), new buildings, new roofs resulting from enlargement of existing buildings, and existing building replacing an entire existing roof deck or roof assembly to be provided with a “sustainable roofing zone,” 100 percent of which must be a solar photovoltaic electricity generating system, a green roof system, or a combination thereof.
Projects with construction documents approved on or after November 15, 2019 are subject to the requirements of LL 92 and 94 of 2019, unless the construction documents have attained BIS job status K (plan exam partial approval) prior to such date.
Projects with roof work as described above will be required to comply except the following:
Areas required to be set aside for setbacks or access pursuant to the New York City Fire Code, New York City Construction Codes or the Zoning Resolution of the City of New York. For example, rooftop access areas required by Fire Code section 504.4 and 512.3.1 that must be kept clear are excluded from the sustainable roofing zone.
Areas occupied by rooftop structures, water towers, greenhouses, mechanical equipment, towers, antennas, parapets, guardrails, solar thermal systems, equipment access pathways and appurtenances.
Areas occupied by obstructions related to stormwater management practices including, but not limited to, cisterns, or reuse systems that are installed to comply with site connection or stormwater construction permits issued by the Department of Environmental Protection.
Building setbacks including terraces that are existing non-complying pursuant to the New York City Zoning Resolution, or that are voluntarily provided. However, each setback must comprise less than 25 percent of the area of the largest floor plate in the building.
Recreational spaces that are integral to the principal use of the building on which the rooftop is located, including but not limited to playgrounds and participant sport areas for sports facilities and schools,
Quality Housing recreation spaces, roof terraces and passive recreation areas that are documented on the certificate of occupancy or Department of Buildings approved filing as outlined in Building Bulletin 2018-002.
Pitched roofs (roof slopes greater than 17 percent) that would accommodate less than 4kW of solar photovoltaic electricity generating capacity. Supporting documents, including calculations and shading report by a qualified contractor or NYS registered design professional, shall be submitted. See Part D2 below.
Areas where site conditions are determined by the Department to be unfavorable to either a solar photovoltaic electricity generating system or a green roof system. For example, in cases where the entire roof assembly including roof deck is replaced, but the building structure cannot support the added weight of a sustainable roofing zone, a statement by a NYS registered design professional shall be submitted to the Department to substantiate the practical difficulty due to structural limitation.
STAND-OFF BRACKETS ATTACHED TO CORNICE HOOKS (C-HOOKS) ARE PROHIBITED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
In accordance with §28-113.1, until such time as the Department is able to further study the utilization of stand-off brackets and promulgate regulations to ensure their safe installation and use, the installation or use of a stand-off bracket attached to a cornice hook (C-hook) to provide a suspended scaffold additional outreach from the face of a parapet or wall is hereby prohibited.
The Department has identified the use of a stand-off bracket as a contributing factor in recent suspended scaffolding incidents.
A stand-off bracket is a rigid member that extends an assembly. This bulletin applies to the installation or use of a stand-off bracket attached to a cornice hook (C-hook) in order to provide a suspended scaffold additional outreach from the face of a parapet or wall. See illustration above.