NYC LL:97 – WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW FOR COMPLIANCE AND POTENTIAL FINES
Overview:
On May 18 th , the City of New York enacted Local Law 97 of 2019 (LL 97). It is a most ambitious climate legislation for buildings enacted by any city in the world. It places all buildings on a path to meet the city’s goal to reduce overall carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.
Applicability:
Buildings represent nearly 70% of those emissions. In passing this new legislation, approximately 50,000 existing residential and commercial buildings are affected. Hospitals and Health Care facilities, Universities and Colleges, Research Institutions, Real estate properties (co-op/condos/buildings, Hotels, Storage facilities, schools, Assemblies, any and all Structures having foot prints in excess of 25,000 SF are subject to LL 97.
Timeline:
A 40% percent reduction in citywide emissions is required by 2030, and 80% reduction by 2050. Two (2) periods of compliance such as 2024-2029 and 2030-2034 have been structured. Applicable buildings must submit an emissions intensity report on May 1 st of each year, starting from 2025. The emissions report must be stamped by a design professional.
Penalties:
NYC has set steep fines for buildings that are not in compliance. Non-compliance buildings must pay $268 per metric ton (MT of CO2 eq) of carbon footprint exceeding the threshold, annually.
EES Expertise, Capabilities and Preparedness:
EES is a nationally renowned engineering firm, with in depth knowledge in energy, environmental, health and safety, regulatory code compliance, specifically those that are enforced by the NYC Agencies. We are extremely fluent with the precursors (benchmarks) of Local Laws such as LL 84 and LL 87 that have led to the current LL 97. We have prepared several in-house proprietary software and spreadsheets (protocols and checklists) in order to assist the facilities for timely compliance. Our licensed design professionals are already assisting many NYC facilities in this regard.
Compliance Goal, Mission, and our Approach:
Our goal is to help the facilities to maintain environmental and economic sustainability by reducing energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and ultimately Global Warming. Preservation of our natural resources are the effects of reduced carbon footprint. Our compliance methodology will help achieve all of the above, including the economic sustainability by the way of saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties. Earlier you initiate compliance effort, better chances that you would achieve economic benefit.
EES Contact:
Please contact Dr. Rengasamy Kasinathan. PhD., PE., MBA., DEE., LEED Green Associate or Michelle Hanks at (914) 788-4165, or info@eespc.com for assistance with the LL 97.Ref: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/buildings/local_laws/ll97of2019.pdf