Altanova - Sustainable Strategy & Innovation

SBTi's Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0 is here and climate strategies will have to adapt to be ready for the changes. We're especially paying attention to how the new guidance will reshape how companies claim clean energy. Read our breakdown and continue the conversation here.

We’re encouraged to see NYC move toward a city-backed insurance program for affordable housing. If designed well, this kind of proposal could do more than lower premiums. It could reward owners who are actively investing in safer, more resilient, and more efficient buildings. That matters—especially for small affordable housing landlords working hard to preserve long-lasting housing under intense cost pressure. To make this effort even stronger, climate resilience and energy efficiency studies should be part of the conversation. Better building data can help identify risk, prioritize upgrades, and reduce operating costs over time. We’re looking forward to seeing the full proposal unfold. #AffordableHousing #ClimateResilience #BuildingEfficiency

Filing your Local Law 97 report is not the same as being compliant. 📌 Many NYC building owners treat LL97 as a simple reporting requirement. But as we move closer to 2030, this approach misses the point. Filing is just submitting data to avoid a submission fine. Compliance means staying below the tightening emissions cap and avoiding $268/ton penalties. With up to 65% of buildings expected to exceed caps by 2030, a building compliant today may face steep fines tomorrow. Relying on filing alone leaves you blind to future exposure and risks rushed, capital-heavy upgrades down the line. 📈 🔍 We believe in using your filing as a diagnostic tool to ask: What is your 2030 gap, and what can be reduced now without major capex? At Altanova, we help you secure your investment and streamline project delivery by combining: 🟢 Benchmarking and LL97 filing 🟢 Emissions gap analysis 🟢 Short-term decarbonization planning Our goal is not just to file correctly, but to position buildings to remain compliant without unnecessary capital pressure. 🎯

Climate risk models are crucial for decision-making, but they have serious limitations that sustainability leaders must consider—especially as global warming exceeds 2°C. 🌡️ Carbon Tracker Initiative’s recent report, "Recalibrating Climate Risk," highlights key issues with current models: ⚠️ False precision hides real risks Many models rely on assumptions that downplay non-linear impacts and treat uncertainty as constant. The result? Projections that seem accurate but fail to reflect the true risks at higher warming levels. ⚠️ GDP metrics miss critical factors Traditional models view climate change as a minor disruption to stable systems. But GDP-based outputs can’t account for mortality, ecosystem collapse, or cascading failures in supply chains. Worse, disaster recovery spending can make impacts look like economic growth. ⚠️ Major risks are underestimated At 3°C warming, damage estimates range from 6% to 88% of GDP—a massive gap. Yet many models present neat, single-number projections, creating a false sense of security when decision-makers need to understand the full range of possible outcomes. 💡 What this means for decision-makers Sustainability leaders need to approach climate risk models with caution, focusing on resilience and adaptability rather than relying on precise forecasts. Key actions include: 🔹 Stress testing across multiple risk scenarios 🔹Treating climate risks as interconnected and economy-wide 🔹Prioritizing resilience and precaution over accuracy 🔹Addressing systemic risks early to avoid irreversible tipping points The goal isn’t to abandon these models but to use them more transparently and strategically. When the risks include systemic disruptions and irreversible outcomes, overconfidence in "exact" numbers can lead to costly mistakes. A link to the full report is in the comments.

⚡2026 NYC LL97 Reporting ⚡ Local Law 97 (LL97) is NYC’s landmark climate law requiring large buildings to meet strict greenhouse gas emissions limits. Buildings subject to LL97 reporting under the standard compliance pathway include: 🏢 Single buildings over 25,000 gross square feet 🏙️ Multiple buildings on the same tax lot exceeding 50,000 gross square feet combined With deadlines approaching, the cost of getting it wrong is real. Key dates 📆: • May 1, 2026 — Annual emissions report due • June 30 – August 29, 2026 — Extension (grace period) window Penalties to keep in mind: • Failure to file: $0.50/sf per month • Extension filing fee: $60 per building • Emissions non-compliance: $268 per metric ton CO₂e above the limit But the bigger risk isn’t just penalties — it’s bad data. We continue to see buildings misreport emissions due to: • Incorrect energy inputs in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager • Misaligned utility data • Inaccurate LL97 eligible gross floor area These errors can materially overstate emissions and trigger unnecessary penalties. A single data issue can carry forward year over year, creating a snowball effect that distorts emissions trends and compounds long-term penalty exposure. 📈 At Altanova, we take this off the owner’s plate: • End-to-end LL97 compliance management • Careful validation of energy consumption data • Precise calculation of LL97-covered floor area • Clear, defensible reporting Compliance is not just a filing exercise, it’s a data exercise. Get the data right — get the outcome right.

We're #hiring a new Senior Energy Project Engineer in New York, New York. Apply today or share this post with your network.

We're #hiring a new Senior Energy Project Engineer in New York, New York. Apply today or share this post with your network.

A McKinsey Health Institute report from earlier this year nicely complements our recently published Smart Workplace Whitepaper by diving deep into evidence-based interventions that lead to measurable health and productivity outcomes. The report highlights over 100 workplace strategies, including digital mental health programs tailored to support employee resilience, flexible work models that balance autonomy and collaboration, and workplace activities that prioritize both mental and physical health. These approaches not only address employee well-being but also align with sustainability and operational goals, creating a win-win for your organization and your team. It is vital for both the physical workplace environment and the supportive interventions deployed with in the space to work in cooperation with each other, resulting in the best possible environment for occupants of these spaces. The report is linked in the first comment below - we encourage you to check it out!

NYC officials are grappling with how much investment needs to be made in the affordable housing stock and thinking proactively about how to bridge the current gap in supply. At Altanova, we're keeping a close eye on new incentives rolling out for affordable housing rehabilitation. We're tracking opportunities to leverage city and state funds to spur better, more resilient housing—because affordability and sustainability go hand in hand. Key areas we're monitoring: ✳️ New financing tools for mixed-income development ✳️ Property tax reform proposals affecting multi-family buildings ✳️ Insurance cost solutions for affordable housing providers ✳️ Modular construction initiatives to reduce development costs As the Mamdani administration develops its comprehensive housing strategy, we're here to help developers and building owners navigate these changes and maximize available funding opportunities. Affordability is sustainable. And sustainable housing is our future.

The modern workplace is no longer just about desks and meeting rooms—it's a strategic asset that directly impacts employee wellbeing, productivity, and your bottom line. Our new whitepaper explores how smart, sustainable workplaces create measurable business value: ✅ Enhanced Productivity: Studies show cognitive scores increase by up to 101% in optimized green buildings ✅ Stronger Retention: Employees increasingly prioritize health-forward environments when choosing employers ✅ Improved Asset Performance: Buildings with superior indoor environmental quality command higher rents and lower vacancy rates ✅ Significant ROI: Investments as modest as $40 per employee annually can return up to 150x on employee productivity Inside, you'll find actionable strategies for improving air quality, lighting, acoustics, thermal comfort, and more—backed by the latest research and real-world case studies. Download the full report to discover how to transform your portfolio into spaces that drive wellbeing, satisfaction, and competitive advantage. https://lnkd.in/eEHrN4aC