Buildings emit around two-thirds of greenhouse gasses in New York City. Therefore, the city has introduced different regulations to bring down greenhouse gas emissions and transform itself into a greener and more sustainable place. The LL97 NYC is one of these regulations, and it will begin to take effect in the year 2024. Delve deeper to discover more details about the law and how 2024 will be the landmark year in its adoption.
An Overview of LL97 NYC
The LL97 NYC belongs under the Climate Mobilization Act of the City Council. It was passed in April 2019 as the Mayor’s initiative to transform the city into a greener and safer space. This groundbreaking energy efficiency measure concerns all buildings with an area of over 25,000 square feet.
Property owners have to start focusing on compliance right from 2024. But stricter limits surrounding greenhouse gas emissions will come into effect in 2030. The ultimate goal of LL97 is to cut down GHG emissions by 80% by the year 2050.
Also Read: Local Law 97 and What it Means for NYC Building Owners
Starting Points for LL97 NYC Compliance
Complying with local law 97 NYC will begin with the following steps:
- Ensure Accurate Building Measurement
Accurately measuring the gross floor area (GFA) of your establishment is crucial. Failing to do so could lead to incorrect emission limit calculations and potential penalties.
- Understand Your Building’s Performance
In order to adhere to Local Law 97, it is imperative to thoroughly evaluate your establishment in terms of its size, occupancy, age, and existing energy consumption. This will enable you to uncover any disparities between its current levels of GHG emissions and the maximum levels permitted under the law.
- Budget and Resource Planning
Perform a comprehensive assessment of expenses and acquire the essential resources and funding for executing the decarbonization strategy. Find out about the applicable incentives and possible operational savings resulting from lower energy consumption.
- Checking Exemption Eligibility
Before taking action, it is crucial to assess if your property is eligible for any exemptions or hardship considerations. Potential qualifications may include:
- being a critical facility, including affordable housing units.
- being under the ownership of a nonprofit organization.
- being designated as a landmark building.
- facing financial difficulties or unforeseen circumstances that impede adherence to LL97.
The newly proposed regulations provide a range of possibilities for minimizing penalties, but it is imperative for the owner to show a genuine dedication towards complying.
- Report Submission
Ensure accurate and timely filing of your building emissions report. The NYC Department of Buildings requires every building to submit a report containing building area calculations, utility data, and the building’s position relative to the threshold. Building owners are expected to file this report by May 1st each year to comply with local law 97 New York.
Fines and Penalties for Non-Compliance
According to the DOB’s Compliance page, any structure exceeding the annual limits set by Local Law 97 will face a fine. The penalty is equivalent to the difference between their reported emissions and the allowed limit for that timeframe. Additionally, the DOB reserves the right to impose additional consequences for non-compliance.
Failure to report emissions can result in further sanctions and fines for property owners. With over 57,000 properties in New York City falling under this law, any building with a floor space of over 25,000 sq. ft. and 10 different occupancy classifications must adhere to emission intensity limits.
Your building’s energy consumption is evaluated against the designated NYC local law 97 limit for your occupancy category. Therefore, the resulting metric tons of CO2e per square foot serve as the basis for potential fines imposed on New York City buildings.
These penalties, amounting to $268 for every metric ton of CO2e over the city’s cap, are crucial for ensuring compliance. To put it in perspective, a building emitting 1,000 metric tons of CO2e above its allowed limit would face a hefty fine of $268,000.00.
Ending Note
Navigating past the complex landscape of LL97 and achieving compliance can be pretty daunting for building owners. That’s why you should seek professional local law 97 compliance consulting from a reliable company like Local law 97 Guide. We can build a customized compliance strategy for you and help your building avoid penalties. So, contact us today!
