In celebration of Earth Day.
Did you know there is a tree planing program in Albany ran through DGS?

To encourage planting trees, the City will underwrite one half of the cost of purchasing and planting a tree. The trees are to be planted in the city right of way in front of or on the side of your home. Trees are available to be planted for the spring and the fall planting, while supplies last. To receive an order form, call the Department of General Services at 434-2489.

Click here to download an application:

http://www.albanyny.gov/_files/Government/GeneralServices/2012%20plant%20order%20form.pdf

Here are 10 benefits that should encourage you to plant a tree.

1.

Trees combat the greenhouse effect

Global warming is the result of excess greenhouse gases, created by burning fossil fuels and destroying tropical rainforests. Heat from the sun, reflected back from the earth, is trapped in this thickening layer of gases, causing global temperatures to rise. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major greenhouse gas. Trees absorb CO2, removing and storing the carbon while releasing the oxygen back into the air. In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of CO2 produced when you drive your car 26,000 miles

2.

Trees clean the air

Trees absorb odors and pollutant gases (nitrogen oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and ozone) and filter particulates out of the air by trapping them on their leaves and bark.

3.

Trees provide oxygen

In one year an acre of mature trees can provide enough oxygen for 18 people.

4.

Trees cool the streets and the city

Average temperatures in Los Angeles have risen 6°F in the last 50 years as tree coverage has declined and the number of heat-absorbing roads and buildings has increased.

Trees cool the city by up to 10°F, by shading our homes and streets, breaking up urban “heat islands” and releasing water vapor into the air through their leaves.

5.

Trees conserve energy

Three trees placed strategically around a single-family home can cut summer air conditioning needs by up to 50 percent. By reducing the energy demand for cooling our houses, we reduce carbon dioxide and other pollution emissions from power plants.

6.

Trees save water

Shade from trees slows water evaporation from thirsty lawns. Most newly planted trees need only fifteen gallons of water a week. As trees transpire, they increase atmospheric moisture.

7.

Trees help prevent water pollution

Trees reduce runoff by breaking rainfall thus allowing the water to flow down the trunk and into the earth below the tree. This prevents storm water from carrying pollutants to the ocean. When mulched, trees act like a sponge that filters this water naturally and uses it to recharge groundwater supplies.

8.

Trees increase property values

The beauty of a well-planted property and its surrounding street and neighborhood can raise property values by as much as 15 percent.

9.

Trees help prevent soil erosion

On hillsides or stream slopes, trees slow runoff and hold soil in place.

10.

Trees provide food

An apple tree can yield up to 15-20 bushels of fruit per year and can be planted on the tiniest urban lot. Aside from fruit for humans, trees provide food for birds and wildlife.

“To combat climate change, there’s no question that we need to increase the earth’s albedo,” or reflectivity, Dr. Gaffin said. “Some scientists are contemplating tinkering with the earth’s atmosphere to do this, but we should start with what’s easy and uncontroversial — white roofs.

Before you proceed with this article. One caution is to mind your surroundings.  Cool roofs must be considered in the context of their surroundings. It is relatively easy to specify a cool roof and predict energy savings, but some thinking ahead can prevent other headaches. Ask this question before installing a cool roof:

Traditional roofs are dark and retain the sun’s rays as heat. During the summer, heat absorption increases roof temperatures, air conditioning costs, energy demand and even local temperatures in a phenomenon called the Urban Heat Island Effect. Cool Roofs can reverse these impacts!  According to the NY Times article White Trumps Black in Urban Cool Contest

Here are some interesting diagrams from that outlines the impacts of when the sun hits a black roof versus a white roof from
Cool Roof Tool Kit.  As you can see you can see there are several environmental implications at hand.

Cool Roofs Lower Cooling Costs
A conventional roof can reach very high temperatures on a sunny, windless day. A Cool Roof creates a cooler building envelope, reducing the cost to cool the building in the summer.

Cool Roofs Offset the Urban Heat Island Effect
The Urban Heat Island Effect is a phenomenon in which the high concentration of dark material, such as asphalt and conventional rooftops, increases the temperature of densely built cities by up to five degrees. Cool Roofs mitigate this effect by reducing the number of dark energy absorbing surfaces.

Additional benefits

• Cool Roofs prolong the life expectancy of the building cooling equipment, which doesn’t need to work as hard or as long to cool the building.
• Cool Roofs reduce the electrical power of HVAC equipment which can run less frequently and with lower capacity.
• Cool Roofs lower air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by reducing power demand.

How a Cool Roof Works

A Cool Roof is more than just a roof painted white. To be a Cool Roof, a roof must be treated with a specialized coating material that is lightly colored and has two unique properties: high solar reflectivity and high infrared emissivity.

Solar reflectivity expresses the degree to which a roof reflects the visible, infrared and ultraviolet rays that comprise solar energy. Surfaces with high solar reflectivity reflect more infrared and ultraviolet rays.

Infrared emissivity refers to the roof’s ability to give off its absorbed heat. Highly emissive surfaces are cooler than non-emissive surfaces since they have the ability to shed more absorbed heat at a faster rate.

A Cool Roof reduces the amount of energy absorbed by the roof which helps lower a building’s temperature and cuts energy costs.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us with any comments.

Resources

http://www.nyc.gov/html/coolroofs/html/home/home.shtml

http://www.coolrooftoolkit.org/wp-content/pdfs/CoolRoofToolkit_Full.pdf

TAX CREDITS

While it isn’t up-front cold hard cash. There is a fantastic program dedicated to historic properties in NY State.  There are two to receive tax credits if you qualify. This is orchestrated through New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation.

Keep in mind you can look on New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for information as well. (click on the underlined portion)

1. New York State Historic Home ownership Rehabilitation Tax Credit Rehabilitation 

Rehabilitation work on historic residential structures may qualify for a tax incentive. The credit will cover 20% of qualified rehabilitation costs of structures, up to a credit value of $50,000.00. Houses must be an owner-occupied residential structure and be individually listed on the State or National Register of Historic Places, or a contributing building in a historic district that is listed on the state or National Register of Historic Places. In addition, the house needs to be located in an eligible census tract. At least $5,000.00 must be expended on qualifying work. At least 5% of the total project must be spent on the exterior of the building. All work must be approved by OPRHP prior to start of construction.

2. New York State Tax Credit Program for Income Producing Properties

This tax credit must be used with the Federal Investment Tax Credit Program for Income Producing Properties. Owners of income producing properties that have been approved to receive the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit automatically qualify for the additional state tax credit if the property is located in an eligible census tract. Owners can receive an additional 20% of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures up to $5,000,000 *. In order to qualify, the placed-in-service date must be after January 1, 2010.  After Part 1 and Part 2 of the federal application are approved by the National Park Service, The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation will issue a certification form allowing owners to take the state credit.

Be sure to look at SHPO’s website for further clarification and we’d be happy to help in any way possible.

Here is a map that outlines the qualifying districts in Albany county. Please keep in mind that you have to own a property that is on the National Registry and be in a qualifying district. If you have any questions please contact SHPO for further information.

LOAN PROGRAMS

Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) is a private mortgage lender specializing in financing low-, moderate- and middle-income housing throughout New York and New Jersey. CPC lends for large and small apartment buildings, occupied or vacant, and for new construction developments. CPC is sponsored by 94 banks and insurance companies. There is a $100 application fee and an origination fee of 1-2% of loan amount. Loan products include, construction financing, permanent financing, Small Building Loan Program, and Preservation Financing for Cooperative Buildings.

Contact CPC for more information at (518) 463-1776 for more information.