Gowanus Forge: Adaptive Reused Assembly Plant

By: Chandra Cheedella and Darren Li

Problem Statement

Gowanus Forge is a manufacturing response to the demands of Local Law 97 and POA 4.6 and 4.7 which is training and hiring residents of the local commuity to assemble building equipment that will lower operational carbon in buildings across New York City.

Local Law 92 and 94

Local Laws 92 and 94, passed as part of New York City's 2019 Climate Mobilization Act, require certain buildings to cover their roofs with either green vegetation or solar photovoltaic panels. The laws apply to new buildings, enlargements resulting in a new roof, and existing buildings replacing an entire roof assembly. Buildings must cover 100% of their Sustainable Roofing Zone — the usable roof area after excluding spaces for mechanical equipment, fire access pathways, stormwater systems, and recreational areas. Green roofs reduce stormwater runoff and ease pressure on the city's drainage and wastewater systems, while solar panels generate clean electricity and combat the urban heat island effect caused by heat-absorbing dark roofs. Property owners can apply for a New York State Property Tax Abatement through DOB NOW, with the Green Roof Tax Abatement extended through June 2027, and all filings must be completed by a Registered Design Professional.

Local Law 97

Local Law 97 is a New York City law requiring large buildings over 25,000 sq. ft. to meet annual emissions caps. Buildings that exceed their limit face fines of $268 per metric ton of CO2 over the cap, and those that fail to file at all are penalized $0.50 per square foot per month. For large residential buildings like co-ops, exceeding caps by even a few hundred tons can mean six-figure annual penalties, yet the cost of retrofitting — replacing gas boilers, upgrading insulation, modernizing electrical systems — can run into the millions. Supply chain constraints on key equipment like heat pumps, combined with limited access to financing, leave many building owners caught between unaffordable renovations and mounting fines.