Is Your Building Prepared for Local Law 97 Compliance?
New York City’s Local Law 97 mandates that all buildings over 25,000 square feet submit carbon emissions reports, filed by a Registered Design Professional (RDP). If your property exceeds its carbon emissions limits—based on size and tenant usage—you will face penalties of $268 per metric ton of CO₂ over the allowable threshold.
*Buildings should ensure that their RDP is knowledgeable in all aspects of LL97 to maximize a building’s allowance and minimize their potential penalty*
Get the most out of your Local Law 97 Data.
The insights that buildings get from these annual submissions can be valuable! A good engineering team will be able to analyze a building’s LL97 results to provide insights for buildings to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions, and operating costs.
*Buildings don’t need fancy Energy Management Software to do this, just a good team*
What are the best initial steps to reduce penalties?
RKB Group meets with each owner after their LL97 data is compiled and provides an annual report, separate from what gets submitted to DOB, with insights on how the building is operating compared to median buildings. Our team can walk the building(s) with your staff to view the major equipment and provide insights on potential upgrades based on based on similar decarbonization projects we’re performing across the city. Guidelines of LL97 includes options for ‘Adjusments’ and other alternative compliance pathways such as through the Good Faith Effort exception.
*Buildings should start with the low-cost operational improvements to reduce energy waste, in parallel to developing new capital improvements*
Who needs to comply:
Most buildings in New York City larger than 25,000 sq. ft.
Deadline:
Filing is due May 1st of each year.
Fines:
Failure to file a report — $0.50 per building square foot, per month
Exceeding your emissions limit — $268 for each metric ton over the building's established limit
Falsifying statements - $500,000 and/or copping a plea for misdemeanor
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About RKB
A Reliable Partner to High-Performing Real Estate Portfolios
RKB serves as a partner to real estate owners and property managers to implement practical and cost-effective energy projects that help buildings meet the requirements of local laws and regulations, and reduce operating costs. We design energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, manage implementation, and capture utility incentive funding.