{"id":2359,"date":"2025-09-26T08:41:25","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T08:41:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecotocongroup.com\/?p=2359"},"modified":"2026-05-15T13:10:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T13:10:22","slug":"go-for-an-energy-audit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/go-for-an-energy-audit\/","title":{"rendered":"Worried about Cooling Costs in the Summer? Go for an Energy Audit!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hot summers in New York City and across the U.S. are driving up energy bills like never before. Air conditioning alone can make up nearly half of your summer utility costs, especially as extreme heat events become more common. With energy prices continuing to rise, staying cool isn\u2019t just a comfort issue\u2014it\u2019s a financial challenge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, there\u2019s a solution: an energy audit. It\u2019s a proven way to cut costs, optimize your building\u2019s performance, and ensure compliance with NYC\u2019s strict energy laws.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Energy_Costs_Are_a_Bigger_Challenge_in_2025\"><\/span><b>Why Energy Costs Are a Bigger Challenge in 2025<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2025, cooling costs are being driven by multiple factors:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Electricity prices remain high<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), electricity prices rose 5% in 2024 and are projected to climb further in 2025 as demand continues to rise.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Natural gas volatility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Nearly 40% of U.S. electricity is still generated from natural gas. Price fluctuations directly impact the cost per kilowatt-hour, making bills unpredictable.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Climate change and extreme weather<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Heat waves are placing huge stress on the electric grid, driving wholesale prices higher and causing supply shortages in some areas.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Inflation and infrastructure strain<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Rising inflation and ageing utility infrastructure mean that energy costs are unlikely to stabilise anytime soon.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For NYC building owners, these challenges are layered with Local Law requirements like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/nyc-local-law-87.html\"><b>Local Law 87<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Mandates energy audits and retro-commissioning every 10 years.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/nyc-local-law-88.html\"><b>Local Law 88<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Requires lighting upgrades and submeters for tenant spaces.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/nyc-local-law-97.html\"><b>Local Law 97<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Imposes strict carbon caps, with financial penalties for non-compliance.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An energy audit is not just a cost-saving measure\u2014it\u2019s also a compliance strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_an_Energy_Audit_and_Why_Do_You_Need_One\"><\/span><b>What Is an Energy Audit and Why Do You Need One?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An energy audit is a comprehensive assessment of your building\u2019s energy use. It helps uncover inefficiencies, quantify waste, and recommend upgrades that lower costs and improve comfort.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Types of Energy Audits:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Level 1 (Walk-Through Audit):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A quick analysis of obvious inefficiencies like lighting, insulation, and HVAC performance.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Level 2 (Energy Survey and Analysis):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A detailed breakdown of energy use patterns, backed by cost-benefit recommendations.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Level 3 (Investment-Grade Audit):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A deep dive with financial modeling for large-scale upgrades and capital planning.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By identifying savings opportunities, an audit ensures that you get maximum performance for every dollar spent on energy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Benefits_of_Energy_Audits\"><\/span><b>Benefits of Energy Audits<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><b style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit;\">Lower Cooling Costs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Detect leaks, poor insulation, or HVAC inefficiencies that waste money.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Compliance with NYC Local Laws<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Stay ahead of LL87, LL88, and LL97 requirements.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Improved Occupant Comfort<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Better indoor temperatures, air quality, and lighting.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sustainability Goals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Reduce your building\u2019s carbon footprint and contribute to citywide emission reduction targets.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Long-Term Savings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Many upgrades pay for themselves within just a few years.<\/span>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Strategies_to_Manage_Cooling_Costs\"><\/span><b>Strategies to Manage Cooling Costs<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>1. Upgrade HVAC and Improve Insulation<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HVAC systems account for nearly <\/span><b>40% of building energy use<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Action steps:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schedule HVAC operations to match building occupancy.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seal air leaks and improve insulation to keep cool air in.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add sensors and smart thermostats for automated efficiency.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Install low-energy humidifiers to optimize comfort.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even a simple thermostat adjustment\u2014setting cooling 7\u201310 degrees higher when unoccupied\u2014can reduce costs by up to 10% annually.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>2. Adopt Smart and Green Technologies<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smart tech is transforming energy efficiency. Tools like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Smart thermostats<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Adjust automatically based on occupancy and energy prices.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Advanced metering systems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Track energy usage in real-time.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>AI-based building controls<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Predict and respond to weather changes and peak demand.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While upfront costs may range from $200 to $500, savings compound year after year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>3. Invest in Renewable Energy<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solar panels and other renewables are no longer a luxury\u2014they\u2019re an investment. Benefits include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tax credits, rebates, and subsidies.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Energy independence from volatile utility rates.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Long-term savings with a lifespan of 25\u201330 years.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Countries like Iceland and Costa Rica already run mostly on renewable energy, and NYC is moving in the same direction through its Climate Mobilization Act.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>4. Encourage Occupant Awareness<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Building efficiency isn\u2019t just about systems\u2014it\u2019s about behavior. Encourage tenants and employees to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turn off lights and equipment when not in use.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use blinds and shading devices to block heat gain.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Report comfort issues promptly so systems don\u2019t overcompensate.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Small behavioural changes can make a big difference.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Real-World_Impact_Why_Energy_Audits_Pay_Off\"><\/span><b>Real-World Impact: Why Energy Audits Pay Off<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buildings that undergo audits and retro-commissioning typically see:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15\u201325% reduction in energy costs within the first year.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improved HVAC efficiency leading to longer equipment life.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compliance with LL87 audits, avoiding penalties and legal risk.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, a mid-size NYC office building that completed an energy audit in 2023 cut cooling expenses by 18% simply by improving insulation, recalibrating HVAC schedules, and installing smart controls.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line\"><\/span><b>The Bottom Line<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cooling costs aren\u2019t going down anytime soon, but your bills don\u2019t have to keep climbing. An energy audit is the first step toward smarter energy management, lower costs, and Local Law compliance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Cotocon Group<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> specializes in energy audits, retro-commissioning, and compliance strategies under Local Laws 87, 88, and 97.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/contact-us.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact us today<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to schedule your energy audit and start saving this summer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hot summers in New York City and across the U.S. are driving up energy bills like never before. Air conditioning [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2366,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"left-sidebar","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[36,38,21,8,20],"ppma_author":[60],"class_list":["post-2359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-energy-audit","tag-nyc","tag-energy-audit","tag-energy-audits","tag-retro-commissioning","tag-sustainability"],"authors":[{"term_id":60,"user_id":1,"is_guest":0,"slug":"admin","display_name":"thecotocongroup","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6c97e8732279109c5164e538b23e3dfc13b6ecb297099577962be5c52887d138?s=96&d=mm&r=g","0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Banner-Design.jpg",800,511,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Banner-Design.jpg",800,511,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Banner-Design.jpg",800,511,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Banner-Design-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Banner-Design-300x192.jpg",300,192,true],"large":["https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Banner-Design.jpg",800,511,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Banner-Design.jpg",800,511,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Banner-Design.jpg",800,511,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"thecotocongroup","author_link":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/author\/admin\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/category\/energy-audit\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Energy Audit<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Hot summers in New York City and across the U.S. are driving up energy bills like never before. Air conditioning [&hellip;]","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2359"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6055,"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2359\/revisions\/6055"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2359"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=2359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}