Local Law 97, New York Mandates a Greener State


 

The Climate Mobilization Act, NYC Local Law 97 (LL97) became law in May 2019. This environmental law mandates reductions in carbon emissions from buildings in New York City starting in 2024. It also adds a requirement to report annually on a building’s carbon emissions. This new law covers both new and existing commercial buildings larger than 25,000 square feet, or groups of two or more buildings with a total area of more than 50,000 square feet if they are under the same tax lot or part of the same condominium project. The carbon emission targets vary based on the occupancy class of the building and are calculated by the square footage of the building.

These building carbon emission targets are going to decrease over time in two stages. The first stage, from 2024 to 2029 has been set based on annual energy benchmarking data to affect only the top 20% of carbon emitters. The second stage, from 2030 to 2034, reduces the emissions caps to impact 75% of all buildings. Unlike previous benchmarking laws however, there are substantial penalties for non-compliance to either the reporting requirements or the emissions caps in LL97.

How to know if you comply to the emissions caps

A property manager can find out if they comply with the upcoming 2024-2029 emissions caps, or the much tougher 2030-2034 caps today. With minor exceptions, the buildings covered by this new law have already been subject to the New York benchmarking laws LL84, and LL133, so affected property managers have been required to calculate and report energy and water usage to the city for the last few years. With the data collected from the benchmarking survey the property manager can use a Carbon Emissions Calculator to determine if they comply.

How to get ready for 2024 (and 2030)

Even if a building doesn’t comply with these future mandates today, one of the benefits of reducing the carbon footprint of a building is those carbon emissions come from burned fuel, either at the boiler or the electric power plant, so reducing the carbon footprint of a property means reducing the building’s annual energy costs. Make smart investments in energy saving upgrades and they can pay for themselves in a few years.

Fortunately, for the property manager, there are climate action non-profit groups, and private engineering firms who have done the heavy lifting to determine the most cost-effective energy saving measures in commercial buildings. Data from these studies consistently shows that installing Domestic Hot Water controls like Heat-Timer’s Electronic Tempering Valves, can pay for itself in a year or less.

This data in this report was generated by looking at over 16,000 data points gathered from the thousands of buildings subject to NYC benchmarking laws. Its recommendations are therefore general. Wouldn’t it be nice if a property manager had this kind of data for their specific building? If a building already has Heat-Timer® Boiler or DHW controller, that kind of deep data analysis is available just by installing internet access through Heat-Timer® Building Net.

Turn Platinum data into smart investments in energy saving

As the world leader in automated heating control systems for commercial buildings, Heat-Timer® already has thousands of Platinum Series Controllers installed in boiler rooms across the country. Many of these controllers, however, were installed without internet connectivity features offered through Heat-Timer® Building Net. Through a simple upgrade, a Platinum Controller with an internet communication can further reduce energy usage and collect performance data that can be used to find more energy savings. For example, a Platinum controller with internet access can take advantage of Heat-Timer’s wireless space sensorswhich are now easily placed throughout a building. The Platinum Controller can use this real time temperature informationto continuality optimize its heating algorithm, anticipate and prevent building hot-spots and cold spots, ultimately saving an additional 15% to 25% in annual building heating costs for a very small upfront investment.

If you don’t have a Heat-Timer Platinum Series Control in your building at all, the savings are even more significant. Since heating costs run anywhere from 40 – 60% of the operating costs of a building, installation of a Heat-Timer Platinum Series Internet Control can get building owners almost 50% of the way toward the Carbon Emission reductions required in the initial phase of local law 97, even if they did no other upgrades!

If a property manager is going to turn data into cost saving, they need to start with the data. Adding internetcommunication allows the Platinum controller to access BuildingNet, Heat-Timer’s powerful remote access platform. BuildingNet allows the property manager to review historic data on heating system performance, and data from all remote sensors. A property owner/manager, reviewing the wireless sensor data can see areas in the building that are being overheated, or not receiving enough heat. Overheated areas of the building lead to open windows in midwinter, and tenants will warm areas without enough heat with inefficient electric space heaters. This is just one example of how a property manager can use BuildingNet’s big toolbox of data analysis tools, to reduce energy usage in the building.

When you start investing in energy savings start with Heat-Timer®

For New York building owners, local law 97 certainly provides motivation to begin thinking about greener buildings. The good news is that with or without the added pressure of LL97 compliance, installation of class-leading Heat-Timer®Platinum Internetcontrols is a darn good idea for your bottom line.

And if you already have Platinum control in your building simply adding internet access to your controller can give you access to BuildingNet. BuildingNet’s tools can give you information you need to make targeted cost effective upgrades reducing your carbon footprint and adding a little green to your bottom line.

To learn more about how Heat-Timer can help you make green, cost-effective updates to your buildings, contact us today or visit our website at: https://www.heat-timer.com/

 

Original Blog Posted at - https://www.heat-timer.com/local-law-97-new-york-mandates-a-greener-state/  

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