BENCHMARKING DEADLINE EXTENDED
The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has announced that due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the 2020 Benchmarking (Local Laws 84/09 and 133/16) compliance deadline for the 2019 calendar year has been granted a 90-day extension. Building owners will not be issued penalty fees if the benchmarking report is submitted to the city by the new deadline of August 1, 2020.
Large Buildings (Over 50,000 SF)
New York City's Benchmarking Law (LL84/09) requires owners of individual buildings larger than 50,000 SF, or groups of buildings on a single lot larger than 100,000 SF, to annually measure their energy and water consumption in a process called benchmarking. Water, electricity, gas, and fuel or steam usage are collected and tracked by the city to help owners use less energy and save money.
Mid-Sized Buildings (Between 25,000 and 50,000 SF)
In 2016, NYC passed Local Law 133/16, which expands the list of buildings required to benchmark to include buildings 25,000 to 50,000 square feet in size.
To submit benchmarking reports, owners need to register with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and enter utilities data from January 1 to December 31 of the previous year into the EPA's Energy Star Portfolio Manager.
Avoid Violations By Submitting on Time
Building owners who did not submit a benchmarking report by May 1, 2020 will receive a reminder by the DOB as a notice of Non-Submission, but will not be subjected to violation fees. Properties on the Covered Buildings List that do not submit a benchmarking report by the new deadline will receive a Notice of Violation from the DOB and be fined $500. Continued failure to benchmark will result in a $500 penalty each quarter, up to $2,000 per year.
Contact RAND
To read more about NYC's Benchmarking Law, visit RAND's article "NYC Benchmarking Law (Local Law 84/09 and 133/16)." If you would like more information on improving your building's energy efficiency and reducing operating costs, or would like to request a proposal for RAND's benchmarking services for your building, please contact us at 212-675-8844 or info@nullrandpc.com.
Jim Marcinek is a Project Manager on RAND's Energy Team.
