Governor Kathy Hochul Signs Comprehensive Commercial Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation Standards Act

NEW YORK — Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Clean Indoor Air and Ventilation Efficiency Act into law on Monday, establishing mandatory high-efficiency particulate air filtration standards, real-time indoor carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring, and energy recovery ventilation (ERV) mandates for all commercial office towers, public schools, and government facilities across New York State.

The legislation, supported by public health epidemiologists and building engineers, updates the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code to require minimum MERV-13 air filtration efficiency and a baseline ventilation rate of at least 6 air changes per hour in high-density indoor spaces.

Protecting Public Health and Reducing Airborne Disease Transmission Public health research conducted during wildfire smoke events and respiratory virus seasons demonstrated that modern high-efficiency HVAC ventilation reduces indoor respiratory pathogen transmission by over 60 percent while lowering cognitive fatigue caused by elevated carbon dioxide levels.

"Clean air is essential to healthy learning in our classrooms and productive working environments in our offices," Governor Hochul said during a bill signing at Hunter College in Manhattan. "For generations, building codes focused on heating and cooling but neglected the invisible pollutants, allergens, and airborne viruses that affect our health. This legislation makes New York the national leader in indoor air quality, ensuring our children and workers breathe clean, filtered air while utilizing energy-efficient ventilation technology that lowers building emissions."

Key Provisions of the Enacted Law Under the new statute:

• Mandatory MERV-13 Standards: Commercial buildings over 25,000 square feet must install MERV-13 or higher air filters by January 2027.
• Real-Time CO2 Monitors: Public school classrooms and commercial conference spaces must install wall-mounted digital CO2 sensors that alert building managers when ventilation drops below fresh-air standards.
• State Clean Air Retrofit Grants: $50 million in matching state grants through NYSERDA to help public school districts install heat-recovery ventilators.

Teachers' unions, architectural institutes, and building service worker unions commended the legislation, emphasizing that modernized ventilation systems improve student academic performance and protect communities during summer wildfire smoke inversions.