New York City is pushing hard to save energy and make the world a greener space. This has made many building owners confused about the new rules and regulations they must follow. One of the main laws is Local Law 88. Since the deadline has passed, buildings must meet LL88 New York requirements to avoid fines. This guide explains what Local Law 88 is and how it affects your building.
LL88 is a key part of New York City's plan to make buildings greener. It applies to buildings over 50,000 square feet and focuses on two main things:
Unlike other laws that only require reporting energy use, NYC Local Law 88 requires real upgrades that save energy. It applies to big buildings of more than 25,000 square feet and groups of buildings on one property, adding up to over 100,000 square feet. It is also applicable to condos and co-ops with the same board covering more than 100,000 square feet.
Energy efficiency NYC buildings regulations are important for environmental purposes and also provide economic benefits. Lighting can contribute significantly to a building’s energy usage. That’s why it’s a great place to focus efforts regarding energy savings. Lighting uses a lot of energy in buildings—about 13% of total use citywide and even more (18%) in offices because these places stay open longer.
Local Law 88 acts synergistically with Local Law 87 and Local Law 97 within the broader GGBP regime. LL87 targets energy audits and retro-commissioning, and LL97 stipulates emission limits. Alternatively, LL88 fills the middle ground by requiring specific infrastructure upgrades that directly lower energy usage.
The Urban Green Council reported that 40% of office buildings and 25% of multifamily buildings with more than 50,000 square feet are still employing vintage incandescent bulbs and first-generation fluorescent lamps. LEDs have huge energy-saving potential, yielding savings of more than 80% when used to replace incandescent bulbs and 50% when used to replace older fluorescent fittings.
To follow LL88 compliance NYC requirements, all lighting must meet current NYC Energy Conservation Code standards. This applies to common areas in residential buildings over 25,000 square feet and all areas in non-residential buildings above this size.
Building owners need to replace old fluorescent and incandescent bulbs with efficient options like LEDs. The upgrades also include better lighting controls, such as sensors, timers, and systems that adjust based on daylight.
| Old Lighting Systems | Energy Savings with LED |
|---|---|
| Halogen bulbs | 75% |
| Metal halide HID | 60% |
| T8/T5 fluorescent | 40% |
| T12 fluorescent | 50% |
| Incandescent bulbs | 83% |
Even greater savings are possible when LED upgrades include automatic controls, potentially pushing metal halide fixture savings from 60% to over 80%.
LL88 covers large tenant spaces in NYC, and NYC submetering requirements include installing electrical sub-meters. Sub-meters are required for all non-residential tenant spaces larger than certain square footage thresholds. These sub-meters enable each occupant to see their electricity usage on a monthly bill. This helps in facilitating individual monitoring and control of usage.
The sub-metering allows for transparency in energy consumption. It also informs tenants what they are consuming. This enables them to take their own energy conservation measures. Owners will be required to provide regular energy statements to tenants, encouraging accountability and conservation efforts.
The sub-metering system usually consists of separate meters for every eligible tenant space, which are connected to a central monitoring system to monitor usage and produce detailed reports. This infrastructure allows for accurate billing as well as detection of energy waste at the tenant level.
Local Law 88 consultant service providers advise adherence to this detailed compliance checklist:
It takes expert knowledge of building systems, energy codes, and regulatory compliance to navigate LL88 New York requirements. Local Law 88 consultant service providers, such as The Cotocon Group provide full-service support during the process of compliance. Our experts are ready to provide professional services, including extensive site analyses, customized design and retrofit planning, DOB filing services and continuous support and monitoring.
We comprehend the intricacies of NYC energy codes and understand what the best compliance options are. Working with experienced consultants, such as The Cotocon Group, will help implement plans properly. We also provide ongoing support to remain compliant. The expertise of our advisors is particularly crucial for complicated, specialized projects with special challenges or mixed-use structures that have unique needs.
Contact our Local Law 88 experts today to ensure your building is fully compliant with all regulations while optimizing energy efficiency and cost savings.
NYC Local Law 88 (LL88), adopted in 2009, is a law mandating big buildings to enhance their lighting systems to the current standards of the NYC Energy Conservation Code. It also makes it mandatory to fit electrical sub-meters into commercial tenant spaces that are larger than a particular margin.
Yes, LL88 applies to residential buildings over specified square footage thresholds, particularly for common area lighting upgrades.
Non-compliance with LL88 will cost considerable money. A failure to file a lighting upgrade or submetering compliance report costs $1500 each year until a report is filed. There's also an additional annual fine for each non-compliant space if submeters are not installed in all spaces that need them.
To ensure compliance, owners of buildings should arrange for a professional energy audit. They should also meet with licensed design professionals or providers of Local Law 88 Consultant Services.
The duration of LL88 retrofits depends on the building size, complexity, and occupancy. In general, the process involves an initial audit, design planning, installation of upgrades, and certification.
Yes, some building types are exempt from LL88. Garden-style apartments (three stories or less with decentralized HVAC systems) and single- to three-family homes are entirely exempt from both lighting upgrade and submetering requirements.
The Cotocon Group with our team of engineers, architects, planners and consultants can help with Local Law 88 compliance. Get in touch with us today so that you can comply, avoid fines, save money and run your building efficiently.