NYC Local Law 87 (LL87) mandates that buildings over 50,000 gross square feet undergo periodic energy audit and retro-commissioning measures, as part of the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan (GGBP). The intent of this law is to inform building owners of their energy consumption through energy audits, which are surveys and analyses of energy use, and retro-commissioning, the process of ensuring correct equipment installation and performance.

 

As estimated, NYC buildings are responsible for a huge amount of the city’s (nearly 70%) greenhouse gas emissions. This proves the urgent need for the implementation of the above-mentioned local laws. Starting from the moment of their enactment, all the required buildings will have to submit the corresponding energy and water consumption data. Failing to meet the requirements might result in certain penalties.

 

In addition to benchmarking annual energy and water consumption, energy audits and retro-commissioning will give building owners a much more robust understanding of their buildings’ performance, eventually shifting the market towards increasingly efficient, high-performing buildings.

 

NYC Local Law 87 – Circling back to NYC LL 97 – Climate Mobilization Act

 

The best way to think about an LL87 audit is that it should provide a roadmap to achieve the carbon emissions targets in LL97. And the retro-commissioning that is required in LL87, if done right, should help capture low-cost carbon savings. An experienced LL87 energy auditor should be able to give you an idea of your carbon emissions now and what actions you will need to take if your emissions are over the limits. (LL87 audits performed prior to LL97 may not have been as focused on identifying measures that would maximize carbon emissions reductions but should still identify cost-effective energy-saving measures for your building.)

For queries on NYC Local Law 87, what it entails, and how you can comply timely, contact us  and we will help you out!