DCAS Announces City Has Reached Lowest Carbon Emissions in 20 Years

NEW YORK CITY - Today, the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) released the city's latest Executive Order 89 (EO89) Progress Report, documenting substantial progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from city operations. According to the EO89 report, New York City government has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 31% since 2006, and cut building energy consumption by 16%, all without disrupting essential public services. This far outpaces citywide emissions reduction-including public, private, and residential-of 25% over a similar period, demonstrating that city government is leading by example.

"This progress reflects what New York City can accomplish when we stay focused and accountable," said DCAS Commissioner Louis A. Molina. "By reducing emissions across city operations, we're not only building a more sustainable city for the future, but also ensuring that we can efficiently deliver the public services New Yorkers rely on every day."

"These results are proof of what's possible when a team keeps its eye on the mission," said New York City's Chief Decarbonization Officer and DCAS Division of Energy Management Deputy Commissioner Sana Barakat. "I'm incredibly proud of their relentless efforts, creativity, and commitment to drive decarbonization across city government. Our work doesn't stop here. We will keep pushing forward, finding the highest-impact opportunities, and raising the bar for what city government can achieve."

Under Local Law 97, part of the landmark Climate Mobilization Act of 2019, the city is mandated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from government operations 50% by 2030, compared to a 2006 baseline. The city uses a portfolio-based approach to reduce emissions across its city-owned buildings, fleet, and operations.

Between Fiscal Year 2006 and Fiscal Year 2024, greenhouse gas emissions from city government operations declined from 3.64 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent to 2.52 million metric tons, reflecting sustained progress across agencies through building retrofits, energy efficiency improvements, clean energy deployment, and improved energy management practices. DCAS has fulfilled the requirements of EO89 since 2022 by annually reporting emissions data for the 19 city agencies with Local Law 97 targets.

Key highlights of the city's decarbonization progress include:

• Substantial progress made in emissions and energy reduction: As reported in the latest Executive Order 89 report and the NYC Greenhouse Gas Inventory, city government has reduced greenhouse gas emissions 31% from the 2006 baseline. City government has also reduced energy consumption from buildings by 16% relative to average levels between 2006 and 2010.
• On track to surpass the Local Law 97 2030 target: Through a coordinated decarbonization strategy led by DCAS, city government is on pace to achieve the 50% emissions reduction target ahead of the 2030 deadline established under Local Law 97.
• Buildings-driven strategy delivering results at scale: By prioritizing buildings, which account for roughly 70% of citywide emissions, the city has implemented more than 17,500 energy conservation measures across 2,500 facilities, reducing approximately 460,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent while improving building performance and efficiency.

Much of this progress is driven by the work of DCAS' Division of Energy Management (DEM), which leads the city's efforts to improve energy efficiency, expand clean energy, and modernize building systems across municipal facilities.

In Fiscal Year 2025, DCAS helped deliver the city's strongest climate performance to date. Over the past fiscal year, the city installed 7.1 megawatts of solar across 35 sites, bringing total installed municipal solar capacity to 32.5 megawatts, with an additional 40 megawatts currently in development. In partnership with the Department of Environmental Protection and the New York Power Authority, DCAS is also advancing a 10-megawatt solar and 10-megawatt battery storage project at the Wards Island Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility, which is expected to become the largest clean energy installation at a wastewater recovery facility in the world.

To improve building performance and reliability, the city launched six new Building Management System contracts, enabling real-time monitoring of building systems to detect issues earlier, reduce energy costs, and prevent costly equipment failures. The division has also adopted the design-build approach to project delivery, including solar installations at 25 city schools and the electrification of five NYPD facilities.

This past summer, DCAS led demand response participation citywide, with 668 municipal facilities across 36 agencies committing to reduce up to 122 megawatts of electricity load, making New York City the single largest participant in Con Edison and the New York Independent System Operator demand response programs. In addition, DCAS expanded workforce development through its Energy Management Institute in FY25, training more than 800 learners across 29 agencies and cultural institutions, with over 120 city employees earning industry-recognized credentials in energy management and building operations.

Major capital efficiency projects are critical to the city's overall decarbonization progress. This year, the city completed a comprehensive two-phase energy retrofit at the Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, a $37 million project recognized as 'Energy Project of the Year' at the DCAS Energy Recognition Ceremony. The city also announced the launch of a $25 million energy efficiency lighting upgrade at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which will install nearly 20,000 LED fixtures and replace 16 comprehensive lighting control systems across hundreds of the museum's galleries.

These results underscore the city's ongoing progress toward its climate goals and its commitment to sustainable government operations. As the city continues to advance its decarbonization efforts, DCAS works with agencies across government to explore new opportunities for improving energy performance across their operations.

About the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services

The NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) makes city government work for all New Yorkers. Our commitment to equity, effectiveness, and sustainability guides our work providing city agencies with the resources and support needed to succeed, including:

• Recruiting, hiring, and training city employees.
• Managing 55 public buildings.
• Acquiring, selling, and leasing city property.
• Purchasing over $1 billion in goods and services for city agencies.
• Overseeing the greenest municipal vehicle fleet in the country.
• Leading the city's efforts to reduce carbon emissions from government operations.

Contact:
Dan Kastanis & Amina Sarfraz
Director of Media Relations, Public Affairs
Communications Associate, Public Affairs
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