Passive House Podcast · Matthew Cutler-Welsh, Zack Semke, Mary James, and Ilka Cassidy

264: Navigating Local Law 97 with Katie Schwamb

November 18, 2025·51 min·4 clips

Katie Schwamb warns building owners not to just slap solar panels on without addressing other emissions sources under Local Law 97.

Local Law 97 sets the frame. The cold open draws a sharp line between real emissions work and the easy answer of adding solar panels while leaving the rest of the building alone. Planning comes first. The guest points listeners to resources, guides, and case studies that help building teams think through retrofit work before buying equipment. Matthew ties that planning question to the high-rise low-carbon multifamily guide and asks what it teaches. The answer stays practical. The guide is part of a high-rise low-carbon series, with separate reports for multifamily and commercial buildings. The examples are not limited to New York or the United States. Data decides what counts. Each building needed pre- and post-retrofit performance information, so readers could see what changed after the work. Scope gets real attention too. The guest talks through energy measures, emissions reduction measures, and the packages of work used in large buildings. Multifamily gets extra time because the guides look closely at large residential buildings, their systems, and retrofit measures across heating, hot water, envelope, ventilation, and lighting. The tone is steady. There is no magic fix here, just planning, evidence, and lessons from projects already finished. The close points to the Reimagine Buildings retrofit conference on December 5, with four online hours of real projects and proven strategies across different scales.

As heard by us

A calm, practical look at retrofit planning under Local Law 97.

Local Law 97 is treated as a retrofit planning problem, not a one-step compliance fix. The discussion argues for starting with the whole building, then moving through emissions pressure, strategic planning, case studies, and the value of pre- and post-retrofit performance data.

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Why you'd press play

If Local Law 97 feels like a compliance puzzle, this gives you a retrofit map.

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