19 Jul NYC Local Law 88: How Lighting and Submeters Work and Why They Matter?

After years of ignorance, energy efficiency is finally a hot topic of discussion among building owners in New York. But what changed suddenly? It is the implementation of the latest New York City Local Law 88 that is bringing about some positive changes in this sphere. 

Local Law 88 requires every commercial building in New York measuring more than 50,000 square feet to install submeters by the 1st of January 2025. This will be one of the most significant developments towards a more energy-efficient future. 

This mandate is now raising many questions among citizens about lighting and submetering for their buildings. So, this blog will address some of these concerns and help get a better sense of lighting and submetering.       

Ways To Enhance Lighting Efficiency in Today’s World 

Lighting solutions are one of the most fundamental needs for modern humans. However, all these years have taught us that relying on conventional lighting solutions does little to no good. This makes it important to leverage proper tactics to enhance lighting efficiency, and there are a couple of ways to do that, including:     

• Using Efficient Lighting Solutions: The first and most simple solution to this complex issue is using efficient lighting solutions. You can install fluorescent and LED lighting solutions to save more on your power bills. These lighting solutions also come with lower maintenance costs, making it a win-win situation for you. 
• Leveraging Natural Lighting: Of course, the most energy-efficient solution you can find is natural light from the sun. But the catch is using this light properly to get the most out of the sun’s power without shedding even a penny for it. You can place windows and skylights strategically to eliminate the need for artificial lighting.           
• Using Proper Lighting Control: Another effective way to enhance light efficiency is using proper lighting controls. Thanks to modern technologies, you can easily get your hands on energy-efficient timers, dimmers, occupancy sensors, and smart lighting solutions to save on power bills. This helps you save on electricity bills and ensure proper compliance with all the relevant legal provisions.    

What are Submeters?

Conventionally, most buildings use a single meter to supply electricity throughout the entire building. In this case, electricity will come to a building through a single primary meter and at bulk rate prices. The landlord will then bill the tenant for electricity based on either a flat fee or a proper formula to determine the billing amount. As you can see, this is a complex procedure and does not incentivise tenants to make an effort to conserve electricity. 

This is where Local Law 88 brings submetering into the picture to address this issue. Installing submeters allows tenants to view and track their energy consumption and pay accordingly. This means instead of using a single master meter; every tenant gets their own submeters. 

Experts say that proper submetering can help reduce electricity use by 15% to 25%, which is a remarkable drop. Hence, it is fair to conclude that submetering does not help save electricity costs but also contributes towards an energy-efficient future.   

Why Does Efficient Lighting and Proper Submetering Matter?

Proper lighting and submetering ensure that both owners and their tenants get a transparent and legitimate understanding of their overall energy consumption. However, there are many other factors that make proper lighting and submetering a must-have in today’s energy-intensive world. Some of the best-known of these factors include:

Better Transparency

Transparency is one of the primary reasons why so many experts are pushing towards popper submetering. This gives a clear picture of a building and its occupant’s precise energy consumption. This also gives the building owners a better idea of their energy consumption and helps them make informed decisions to conserve energy.         

Enhanced Accountability

Proper accountability is something that has been a challenge in the electricity consumption scenario. Thanks to proper submetering initiatives, this will now become a thing of the past. 

This gives a clear picture of your energy consumption to determine if there are initiatives you could take to reduce your energy consumption. Increased accountability also goes a long way in motivating building occupants to reduce their unnecessary energy consumption.         

Increased Building Value

While this factor is not that significant for the tenant, building owners must pay close attention to this. Proper lighting and submetering solutions make your building more energy efficient. This, again, goes a long way in terms of enhancing your building’s valuation in the market. So make sure you take proper measures to enhance your commercial building’s efficiency and further increase its valuation.    

Environmental Upsides

It is no secret that when you consume less energy, it automatically does more good for the environment. This can be a direct or indirect impact, highlighting the primary intent behind passing the local Law 88 in New York City. This makes it very important for building owners and tenants to work hand-in-hand to conserve energy and at least slow the rate at which the planet is heating at the moment.         

Concluding Thoughts

It is no secret that modern society is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels for electricity. Setting the adverse environmental impact aside for a moment, it is worth acknowledging that the costs of these fuels will only increase with time. This is one of the primary reasons why efficient lighting and submetering make total sense.       

But if that is not reason enough for you, you must remember that compliance with Local Law 88 is another important reason why you need submetering. So make sure you hire a reliable and competent Local Law 88 consultant and make the most of efficient lighting and submetering. 

FAQs:

1. How do submeters help conserve energy?

Proper submetering enhances accountability and transparency and motivates stakeholders to make all the necessary efforts to conserve energy and save costs. 

2. Is it necessary to evaluate a building before installing submeters?

Your building’s design and architecture might influence the type of submeters you need, making it important to evaluate these things beforehand. 

3. Do I need a Local Law 88 consultant to install submeters in my building?

While a Local Law 88 consultant might not install the submeter for you, they can definitely guide you and get a better understanding of the relevant intricacies.       

4. Is it important to work with a certified electrician for installing submeters?

It is always very important to work with a certified electrician while installing submeters since it ensures proper safety and installation based on your unique needs.