Satisficing devices: Co-benefits in practice to decarbonize New York City's residential buildings

There is ample evidence that the pursuit of decarbonization — the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions — necessary to avoid dangerous scenarios of climate change is associated with a variety of social, economic and environmental co-benefits that are not, however, integrated into decision-making processes that remain institutionally bound to techno-economic objectives. Drawing on 58 interviews and field observations of people working on New York City's residential buildings, a sector that has since 2019 been subject to an ambitious set of financial incentives and regulations for decarbonization, we ask when and why professionals reference co-benefits to influence their clients' decision-making. We develop a cultural framework to analyze co-benefits as a category of practice, showing that they serve as a satisficing device professionals deploy as they strive to meet multiple client needs, stack various sources of finance, and comply with a bevy of regulations.