Three things you need to know about NYC Energy Efficiency Codes

Have you ever wanted to own and live in a coop or condo building that is green and sustainable? A building that does not have a poor Energy Efficiency Rating, which does not risk being fined as part of NYC’s Local Law 97, also known as the Climate Mobilization Act?

NYC Energy Efficiency Laws are numerous, and they may seem complicated and perhaps even confusing. Bottom line, there’s only one that will have a direct impact on most New York City buildings.

These laws can be divided into 3 groups, as follows:

#1 - MEASURE!

In New York City under the Bloomberg administration, a collection of local laws was enacted with the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These laws of 2009 were passed under the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan (GGBP) started by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These laws require large buildings to keep track of and report their energy and water consumption to be used for creating better energy efficiency strategies.

As long as the building filed its benchmarking data into EnergyStar’s Portfolio Manager by the deadline, there was no direct cost associated with not reducing buildings’ energy usage. For coop and condo residents whose boards chose not to retrofit, the indirect cost was higher costs due to no reduction in energy usage.

#2 - SHAME!!

Local Law 95 is the law that dictates that all buildings are required to post their Energy Efficiency Scores near the building entrance. An energy efficiency score is the Energy Star Rating that a building earns using the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) online benchmarking tool, Energy Star Portfolio Manager, to compare building energy performance to similar buildings in similar climates.

Walking down the streets of New York City, you have probably noticed that most buildings now have a D posted by their main entrance. Those buildings that have an A, B or even C, probably did not report their data correctly. Read more about building energy efficiency ratings.

#3 - FINE!!!

In 2019, New York State enacted the Climate Mobilization Act as an extension of the previous laws. The result is that buildings will be fined for not reducing their carbon output by 2024, and even more by 2030. Fines are set to be in the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars – annually!!! To avoid those fines, any retrofits should be completed by 12/31/23. Our suggestion is to start planning all retrofits NOW. Read our article on how to engage your coop and condo neighbors in your building’s sustainability efforts here.

Coop and condo boards have a fiduciary obligation to their community. All fines will be a cost to their building, which will be passed on to coop shareholders and condo owners. Acting now will enable boards to live up to their responsibility of avoiding these incredibly steep fines.

The Folson Group are energy efficiency consultants who optimize ways to reduce the amount of energy the building is using, making your building greener and more sustainable. From planning to execution and completion, their customers have reduced the cost of energy by up to 40% on the cost of your project.

Email us at info@thefolsongroup.com or call us at (917) 648-8151 to find out more.

Tina LarssonJanuary 12, 2022Comment