Pilot Program
LL41(2021) mandates a five-year pilot program that started in 2021 that will help ensure new City infrastructure and public facilities are prepared for the worsening impacts of climate change, including intense rainfall, coastal storm surge, chronic high tide flooding, and extreme heat. Under this program, 23 City capital agencies will begin designing and constructing dozens of new projects using the standards in the NYC Climate Resiliency Design Guidelines.
Increasing the resiliency of infrastructure and other City-funded construction has numerous benefits. First, stronger and more resilient facilities are better prepared to withstand storms—which means that they can continue providing critical services during emergencies. In the event that facilities are compromised by flooding, resilient design features can help them come back online faster.
Additionally, implementing resiliency standards will save taxpayers money. For every dollar invested in resiliency, six dollars in future repair and recovery costs are saved. Making investments in preparedness now will pay dividends in the future.
After the pilot program, it is expected that all City buildings and infrastructure projects under the mandate will be built to withstand future flooding and heat, ensuring that New Yorkers are safer, infrastructure lasts longer, and taxpayer dollars go further.
