Autumn Updates: DOB NOW Launches Three New Work Types

November marks a month of changes for DOB NOW: Build.

As of November 15, the online portal includes Suspended Scaffold (SC) work types, Electric Energy Storage Equipment (EESE) work types, and Solar and Green Roof filing submittals. These changes indicate a transition within the Department of Buildings (DOB) to a fully online filing system, in its effort to improve efficiency.

Suspend Your Disbelief — Suspended Scaffold Filings Are Fully Online

After 11/15/23, all new Suspended Scaffold filings must be submitted in DOB NOW: Build, including those currently submitted by a CD5 or PW1 form. This also includes notifications of scaffolding installation or removal.

The Applicant-of-Record, or the individual responsible for filing the work type, can be a Licensed Rigger, a Licensed Sign Hanger, or a Registered Design Professional (PE/RA). Only PE/RAs may identify as Professionally Certified under Filing Review Type.

If your CD5 application was disapproved or received objections before November 15, you can expect to follow the old CD5 process regardless of the DOB NOW launch. However, if your CD5 Permit was issued/renewed after November 2022, or if it expired before November 2022, continue your filing process in the online portal. This includes filing amendments, renewing permits, submitting notifications, and refiling.

Don’t Waste Your Energy on Paper EESE Filings

Concurrently, EESE filings will also transition to DOB NOW: Build on 11/15/23. A Professional Engineer or Registered Architect can submit these filings after first uploading a Final Acceptance Letter from the Office of Technical Certification & Research (OTCR). An EESE permit also cannot be issued until an Electrical permit has been issued.

You can submit EESEs on DOB NOW: Bild by selecting +Job Filing, Alteration, then the General Construction work type, under which you will find Electric Energy Storage Equipment.

Raise the Roof for Online Solar and Green Roof Filings

DOB NOW: Build will also launch Solar and Green Roof filings on 11/15/23. They will not be accepted in BIS past this date.

These filings will not have to be professionally certified, and objections cannot be professionally certified. A Professional Engineer or Registered Architect can file after a licensed electrician first submits an associated Electrical filing in DOB NOW, with the Category of Work listed as Sustainable Energy Installs and Sustainable Type listed as Photo Voltaic. As with EESEs, the solar permit cannot be issued until an Electrical permit has been issued.

Go Green, Earn Green

Electric Energy Storage Equipment allows buildings to conserve and better utilize their electricity through batteries, thermal, or mechanical systems. The storage system or device uses electricity to charge and can be used to discharge stored energy when needed. This is both beneficial to the environment and a useful money-saving system for buildings — really, there’s no way to lose!

Building owners can also save money by installing Solar and Green Roofs due to their energy efficiency. While the installation can be pricey, solar energy is renewable, and it can offset the electrical energy that a building consumes. Similarly, Green Roofs reduce energy consumption by cooling and removing heat from the air, insulating the building. This provides electricity-free cooling and heating. The benefits of Solar and Green Roofs only increase over time, as the savings continue to outweigh the cost of installation.

Buildings that make use of Electric Energy Storage Equipment or Solar and Green Roofs may also qualify for Property Tax Abatement under New York State law. If you qualify, you can submit a request for abatement on DOB NOW as part of the EESE or Solar filings. A new question on the PW1 reads: Are you filing property tax abatement information with this filing? Replying Yes will open a Tax Abatement tab. After this launch on DOB NOW, submission of a separate PTA3 or PTA4 paper form will not be necessary.

If you’re wondering if you qualify for tax abatements, looking for guidance navigating DOB NOW, or requiring help with any building code and zoning laws, would be happy to provide expert assistance.

Resources