During a press conference held on Earth Day, Bill DeBlasio, the mayor of New York, seemed to have threatened to ban glass skyscrapers. In a statement, the mayor said that they will be introducing legislation that bans glass and steel skyscrapers. He later added that these types of buildings have contributed so much to global warming and that these should have no place in the city or anywhere on Earth.
In an inventory done for the 2015 emissions for New York City, it was revealed that buildings accounted for 67% of the said year's total commissions. In general, the planet is facing an environmental disaster that is evidently credited to excessive greenhouse gas emissions. However, experts have pointed out that many building technologies contribute to the problem. Singling out glass as a building material might not be the solution and could limit the development of sustainable design techniques.
DeBlasio later clarified that big skyscrapers could use all the glass that they require as long as they do whatever it takes to dial down the emissions. However, the mayor is drawing a line on putting up monuments that are intended for self-promotion, especially if it poses a great threat to the environment. These types of construction will no longer be allowed in New York City.
Mark Chambers, the director of sustainability in the mayor's office, has reiterated during the press conference that there would be no ban on the use of glass in construction. However, there is a goal to increase the energy efficiency of tall buildings and effectively reduce their carbon footprints. Days before the conference, the city council had passed legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The new legislation would effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions from large buildings by up to 40%, with 2030 as the target completion of the said goal. This legislation is part of a larger Climate Mobilization Act.
The misunderstanding that DeBlasio has banned glass materials for construction has alarmed many experts. This incident or other outright banning of building materials or technologies can lead to counterproductivity that could end up having negative results.
Experts have pointed out that the sustainability movement over the past decade has been one of the keystones that promoted the better resurgence of technology, especially in architectural practice and education. Some experts have advised that the government should have a clear statement of the goal for strategies in pursuing reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and let technological innovations arise from the situation, without any limitations or hindrance to advancement and possibilities.
