HDR's Paul Liesman on The Reality of Decarbonization

Paul Liesman, Director of Commercial and Corporate Commissioning, HDR, joins Jose on Buildings 2.0 to help demystify building commissioning and share his perspective on New York's ambitious decarbonization goals. 

With over two decades of experience, Paul discusses why nothing really works without commissioning, the challenges of Local Law 97 implementation, and the evolving landscape of building adaptations. His practical insights on building systems integration and the future of construction provide valuable context for anyone involved in the building industry.

Topics discussed:

• Early involvement of commissioning agents — before construction even begins — ensures proper planning, pricing, and partnership with the entire construction team.
• Integration testing of building systems reveals how components interact, especially during critical events like power transitions.
• Local Law 97 and LEED requirements are driving more rigorous commissioning standards, particularly for building envelopes, where significant heat loss occurs despite efficient HVAC systems.
• Decarbonizing NYC's million buildings by 2030 faces practical challenges, from electrical infrastructure capacity to the financial burden on smaller building owners dealing with higher interest rates.
• Although office-to-residential conversion dominates discussion, challenges like plumbing density and daylight requirements suggest we need more creative solutions for underutilized commercial spaces.
• Historic buildings show potential for conversion to light manufacturing, leveraging high ceilings and robust floor structures to bring production back to urban cores.
• Despite technological advances like automated CMU laying, successful construction will always require coordinated teams of architects, engineers, contractors, and specialized trades working together.