Brooklyn Libraries On Their Way To 'Net Zero' CO2 Emissions

BROOKLYN, NY — The borough's libraries are on their way to becoming a "net zero agency" when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions and are already part of the way there, the Brooklyn Public Library announced this week.

The Brooklyn Public Library's 59 branches reduced their greenhouse gas emissions, or the carbon dioxide gases that contribute to climate change, by 40 percent in the last 13 years, library officials announced Wednesday.

That 40 percent saved 3,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of burning 3.8 million pounds of coal and the yearly energy usage of 601 homes. That amount is what it would take 57,000 tree seedlings growing for 10 years to absorb, they said.

"By 2050, BPL aims to be a net zero agency, dramatically reducing our energy while increasing the resiliency of our facilities and the communities we serve," BPL said.

A "net zero agency" refers to something that emits no more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than the amount it takes out.

The reduction is thanks to a series of new climate-friendly policies put in by the BPL's own energy team, the library said.

The team put in 45 LED lighting "retrofits" to its buildings, or packages that switch older lighting with newer, more energy efficient technology, and added 22 "smart building monitor systems." The systems will manage lighting, heating and air conditioning and keep track of their energy usage.

The libraries are also in the process of upgrading 30 of their heating, cooling and ventilation, or HVAC, systems.

Library officials said the climate initiative has also been about bringing in the public to learn about ways they can reduce their own energy use.

Library patrons can borrow a Home Energy Audit Toolkit (HEAT), which has a thermal imaging camera and electricity use monitor, with their library cards

They also host a free program "Climate Wednesday: Solutions for a Cooler Brooklyn" each month, which brings in experts on climate change to discuss the everything from the economic to agricultural problems and potential solutions. The library's arts and cultural arm also hosts "The Green Series," a free program with talks by innovators in environmental conservation and activism.