___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sustainability
emissions and generates 35 percent of waste. In New York City, buildings are responsible for nearly 70 percent of emissions, making the built environment a target in the push toward decarbonization.
These metrics are not sustainable, and change is needed. Another impetus for change is that in the next 20 years, $ 56 trillion of wealth will be transferred to the next generation, and this younger voice is demanding change, whether through finance and investment or regulatory means. For forward-thinking construction firms, this is a call to action.
CNY Group, a New York – based construction management firm, answered that call early. In 2024, CNY achieved B Corp certification, one of the few construction firms to achieve this status after embedding sustainability into the core of its operations. From low-carbon concrete to electrified equipment and a 92 percent waste recycling rate, the firm offers a glimpse into reimagining how buildings go up and setting a precedent for how industry must evolve.
The regulatory tipping point
While some possess a vision rooted in longterm outcomes, the built environment must change now, and the industry is being pushed by increasing mandates.
In New York City, Local Law 97( LL97) has become a watershed moment. Enacted as part of the city’ s Climate Mobilization Act,
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