NYC Sustainability Laws

• All buildings over 25,000 SqFt must have an annual Benchmarking
• Involves gathering all building energy usage (Electric, Natural Gas, Oil) including tenant aggregate
• A building energy model is created using a tool from the US Department of Energy (DOE) called Portfolio Manger
• Occupancies, building size, heating and air conditioning are defined in Portfolio Manager
• The building is then benchmarked and scored
• Comparisons are made using a matrix to similar sized buidings
• Greenhouse gas emissions in metric tons of CO2 is calculated
• Output is used in determining a building's Energy Letter Grade as per NYC Local Law 95
• Failure to file has fines of $500 per quarter

Energy Audits

• All buildings over 50,000 SqFt must file every ten years based on the last digit of their block number corresponding with calendar year
• The first part is the Energy Audit which is a full building energy study of each building system
• Must be performed to ASHRAE Standard 211-Commercial Building Energy Audits
• Building systems include the envelope (walls, roof, doors, windows), lighting, heating, hot water, air conditioning and ventilation systems
• Data on building systems is gathered and a building energy model is created to simulate the building's energy performance
• The building energy model is calibrated to the actual building energy usage that is benchmarked
• Energy measures are developed and the savings is deducted from the calibrated baseline energy model
• A feasibility study is produced to determine which energy measures are viable for implementation

Retro-commissioning

• The second part is the Retro-commissioning which is a tuning of building systems
• Retro-commissioning is mandatory and deficiencies must be corrected
• Must be performed to NEBB Standard 120-Technical Retro-commmissioning of Existing Buildings
• Functional Performance Testing is applied to building systems
• Building systems are tested to design performance
• Sequences of operation are tested
• Controls and sensors are tested for calibration

Violations for not complying with Local Law 87 is $3,000 the first year and $5,000 each following year.

New requirement mandates that a Registered Design Professional (NYS Licensed Professional Engineer, PE or NYS Registered Architect, RA)  oversee and file the Local Law 87 Energy Audit.  This requirement is being phased in gradually.

• All buildings over 25,000 SqFt must convert lighting to LED by 2025
• Tenants must have electric sub-meters by 2025
• A NYS Licensed Professional Engineer, PE is required to document and file compliance

• All buildings over 25,000 SqFt will receive an Energy Efficiency Grade
• The grade will have to be displayed in a prominent location on the building starting in 2020
• The grades will be based on the Energy Star Scores generated from Portfolio Manager when submitted for benchmarking under NYC Local Law 84/133
• A>85;   B>70;  C>55;  D is anything below 55.  

• NYC to offer building energy financing as part of the Climate Mobilization Act, which is a series of NYC Local Laws aimed at sustainability
• The new financing plan is also known as PACE for Property Assessed Clean Energy Program

• Starting in 2025 every building over 25,000 SqFt will have limits for carbon emissions based on occupancy class.  Exceeding the limits will result in a penalty which is levied at $268 per mtCO2e.  
• An annual filing by a Licensed Design Professional (NYS Professional Engineer, PE or NYC Registered Architect, RA) is required
• Current NYC Benchmarking Laws will Likely be Rolled into NYC Local Law 97