Unlocking Energy Savings – Understanding Local Law 84 in New York

Local Law 84, also known as the Energy Benchmarking Law, is a significant piece of legislation in Nyc that aims to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in buildings. Whether you’re a property owner, manager, or tenant, understanding Local Law 84 and its requirements is crucial for achieving energy savings and compliance with the law. In this blog post, we will provide an overview of Local Law 84, highlight its key provisions, and explore its benefits and challenges for building owners and operators in New York.

What is Local Law 84?

Local Law 84 is a regulation in New York City, also known as the NYC Benchmarking Law, that requires owners of certain buildings to measure and report their energy and water usage annually. The law was enacted in 2009 as part of the city’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency in buildings.

Under Local Law 84, owners of buildings with a gross floor area of 50,000 square feet or more, or buildings that are part of a condominium or cooperative that together have a total gross floor area of 100,000 square feet or more, are required to report their building’s energy and water consumption data to the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) on an annual basis. This data is then made publicly available through the NYC Benchmarking Portal, allowing building owners, tenants, and the public to compare the energy performance of different buildings.

The goal of Local Law 84 is to encourage building owners to track and improve their building’s energy and water efficiency, and to help the city identify opportunities for energy savings and emissions reductions. Failure to comply with the law may result in fines and penalties.

In addition to reporting requirements, Local Law 84 also mandates that buildings undergo energy audits and retro-commissioning every 10 years to identify and implement energy-saving measures. These audits and retro-commissioning efforts are aimed at helping building owners identify and address inefficiencies in their buildings’ operations and systems to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Key Provisions of Local Law 84

The key provisions of Local Law 84, also known as the NYC Benchmarking Law, include:

Reporting Requirements: Owners of buildings with a gross floor area of 50,000 square feet or more, or buildings that are part of a condominium or cooperative that together have a total gross floor area of 100,000 square feet or more, required to annually report their building’s energy and water consumption data to the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) through the Energy Star Portfolio Manager, a widely use benchmarking tool.

Public Disclosure: The report energy and water consumption data is made publicly available through the NYC Benchmarking Portal, which allows building owners, tenants, and the public to access and compare the energy performance of different buildings in New York City.

Energy Audits and Retro-commissioning: Local Law 84 requires buildings to undergo energy audits and retro-commissioning every 10 years. Energy audits involve a comprehensive assessment of a building’s energy usage and potential efficiency measures, while retro-commissioning focuses on optimizing the performance of a building’s existing systems, such as HVAC, lighting, and controls. The aim is to identify and implement energy-saving measures to improve the building’s energy efficiency.

Compliance and Penalties:

Building owners who fail to comply with the reporting requirements or the energy audit and retro-commissioning requirements of Local Law 84 may face fines and penalties. The DOB may issue violations and impose fines for non-compliance, and repeat failures to comply may result in higher penalties.

Exemptions: Local Law 84 provides certain exemptions, such as for buildings with temporary certificates of occupancy, buildings that are predominantly used for manufacturing, and buildings that are subject to financial distress or adverse conditions that may impede compliance.

Data Privacy: The law includes provisions to protect the privacy and confidentiality of building energy data. While the data is publicly disclose, it does not include personally identifiable information (PII) and is aggregate to protect the identity of individual şişli escort building owners and tenants.

These are some of the key provisions of Local Law 84 Nyc , which is design to promote energy transparency, encourage energy efficiency, and

Benefits of Local Law 84

Local Law 84 Nyc, also known as the NYC Benchmarking Law, offers several benefits for building owners, tenants, and the broader community, including:

• Promoting Energy Transparency: Local Law 84 require building owners to report their energy and water consumption data, which is made publicly available through the NYC Benchmarking Portal. This promotes transparency and accountability, allowing building owners, tenants, and the public to access and compare the energy performance of different buildings, and make informed decisions about energy usage and efficiency.
• Driving Energy Efficiency: The benchmarking and energy audit requirements of Local Law 84 encourage building owners to track their energy usage and identify potential energy-saving measures. This can lead to more informed decision-making on energy management, operational improvements, and retrofit investments to improve the energy performance of buildings, resulting in reduced energy consumption and lower utility costs.

Identifying Opportunities for Energy Savings:

Nyc Local Law 84 provides valuable data on building energy performance, which can use to identify opportunities for energy savings and emissions reductions. The benchmarking data can help building owners and operators pinpoint inefficiencies, prioritize energy-saving measures, and track progress over time.

• Supporting Sustainability and Climate Action: Local Law 84 is part of New York City’s broader sustainability and climate action initiatives, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change. By promoting energy efficiency in buildings, which are significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, Local Law 84 helps the city achieve its environmental goals and transition to a more sustainable and resilient built environment.
• Improving Building Performance and Comfort: Energy audits and retro-commissioning, require by Local Law 84, can help identify and address operational and system inefficiencies in buildings, leading to improve building performance and occupant comfort. Optimizing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, lighting, and controls can result in better indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and overall building performance.
• Driving Innovation and Job Creation: Nyc Local Law 84 promotes the adoption of energy-efficient technologies and practices, driving innovation in the building industry. It can create opportunities for job creation in fields such as energy auditing, retro-commissioning, and building retrofitting, supporting the growth of a green economy and local employment.

Local Law 84 offers benefits by promoting energy transparency, driving energy efficiency, identifying opportunities for energy savings, supporting sustainability and climate action, improving building performance and comfort, and driving innovation and job creation in the building industry.

Challenges of Local Law 84

While Local Law 84, also known as the NYC Benchmarking Law, has several benefits, there are also some challenges associated with its implementation, including:

Compliance Complexity: Compliance with Local Law 84 can be complex, as it requires building owners to track and report energy and water consumption data, undergo energy audits, and retro-commissioning, and ensure ongoing compliance with reporting deadlines. The administrative burden and costs associated with data collection, analysis, and reporting can be challenging, especially for owners of multiple buildings or for smaller building owners with limited resources and expertise.

Data Accuracy and Reliability: The accuracy and reliability of the benchmarking data report by building owners may vary, as it relies on self-reported data and may be subject to errors, omissions, or inconsistencies. Ensuring data accuracy and reliability is important for meaningful benchmarking and comparison of building energy performance, but it can be challenging to verify and validate the reported data.

Financial Burden: Energy audits and retro-commissioning, are require by Local Law 84, can be costly, especially for older buildings or buildings with complex systems. The costs associated with implementing energy-saving measures and building retrofits to improve energy efficiency may pose financial challenges for building owners, particularly for smaller building owners with limited budgets or access to financing options.

Technological Challenges:

Benchmarking and energy auditing may require specialized software, data management systems, and technical expertise. Adopting and implementing these technologies and systems can pose challenges for building owners, particularly for those with limited technical capacity or access to resources for technology upgrades or training.

Compliance Enforcement: Ensuring compliance with Nyc Local Law 84 can be challenging, as it requires monitoring, enforcement, and penalties for non-compliance. The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) is responsible for enforcing the law, but it may face challenges in tracking compliance, identifying violations, and imposing penalties, which may limit the effectiveness of the law in achieving its intended goals.

Privacy Concerns: While Local Law 84 protects the privacy and confidentiality of building energy data, there may still be concerns about data privacy and security. Building owners may have concerns about sharing their energy usage data, as it may reveal sensitive information about their operations or tenants. Ensuring data privacy and security while complying with the law can be a challenge.

Limited Impact on Existing Buildings: Nyc Local Law 84 focuses on buildings with a gross floor area of 50,000 square feet or more, which leaves out smaller buildings that may also contribute to energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the law primarily focuses on benchmarking and reporting, which may not necessarily lead to immediate and significant energy efficiency improvements in existing buildings.

How to Comply Local Law 84

Local Law 84, also known as the New York City Benchmarking Law, requires certain buildings in New York City to annually benchmark their energy and water usage and report the data to the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB). Here are the steps to comply with Nyc LL84:

• Determine Applicability: Local Law 84 applies to buildings in New York City that meet the following criteria: a. Must be larger than 25,000 square feet, or multiple buildings on the same tax lot that together exceed 100,000 square feet. b. Must be classified as non-residential, which includes commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings.
• Create an Account with ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager: ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager is an online tool provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) use for benchmarking energy and water usage. Create an account on the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager website if you don’t have one already.
• Collect Data: Gather energy and water consumption data for the building(s) for the entire calendar year, including bills or usage data for electricity, natural gas, steam, and water. This data is need to input into ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for benchmarking.
• Enter Data in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager: Input the collected energy and water consumption data into ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. The tool will calculate the building’s energy and water use intensity (EUI and WUI) based on the data provided.
• Verify Data: Review and verify the data entered in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for accuracy, completeness, and consistency. Make sure all relevant information, such as property characteristics and operational details, correctly input.

Submit Data to NYC Department of Buildings (DOB):

• Once the data is verified, use ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager to generate a report that meets the requirements of LL 84. This report, called the “Benchmarking Report,” includes the building’s benchmarking results and submit to the NYC DOB by May 1st of each year.
• Retain Records: Retain all records related to the benchmarking process, including energy and water consumption data, for a period of three years. These records may be subject to audit by the NYC DOB for compliance verification.

Conclusion

Local Law 84, the NYC Benchmarking Law, has both benefits and challenges. The law promotes energy transparency, drives energy efficiency, identifies opportunities for energy savings, supports sustainability and climate action, improves building performance and comfort, and drives innovation and job creation in the building industry. However, challenges such as compliance complexity, data accuracy and reliability, financial burden, technological challenges, compliance enforcement, privacy concerns, and limited impact on existing buildings may pose obstacles to its effective implementation.

To fully realize the benefits of Local Law 84 Nyc and overcome its challenges, it may require ongoing efforts from building owners, operators, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), and other stakeholders. This could include investing in technology and data management systems, ensuring data accuracy and privacy, providing financial incentives and support for energy audits and retrofits, streamlining compliance procedures, and raising awareness about the importance of benchmarking and energy efficiency.

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