This March, the Department of Buildings (DOB) nearly doubled the amount of staff members dedicated to enforcing Local Law 97 (LL 97), a landmark carbon emissions law, increasing the number of personnel from 11 to 21. The change responds to recent criticism about the lack of resources dedicated to addressing climate change in New York City, and indicates a renewed effort to upholding the law as increasingly stricter emission benchmarks loom in 2025.
Since its inception in 2019, LL 97 has promised a host of significant changes to NYC building code and zoning laws. The law covers about 60% of all buildings in the city, and aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The first emission limits went into effect this January, alongside the introduction of “Good Faith Effort” exceptions, which allowed certain buildings to waive the requirement if sufficient proof of future effort is provided. City officials hoped to ease building owners into the new requirements with these exceptions, as the limits on carbon emissions are projected to rapidly decrease every year — as of right now, the goal is to reduce 40% of all emissions by 2030.
The DOB’s LL97 team is responsible for reviewing building emissions reports and enforcing penalties when necessary, but experts and activists believed that the previously small team would not be capable of accurately reviewing all 50,000 reports. However, since receiving criticism, the DOB has begun allocating more appropriate resources towards the law, including increased staffing and outreach, and claims to be working towards expansion.
The Timeline to Net Zero
While the Local Law 97 administration is in its early stages, building owners can expect the effects of the law to increase rapidly in the near future.
The prospective timeline is as follows:
Conclusion
Previous climate change initiatives in NYC have addressed the surface of the issue, but none so far have promised such far reaching results as Local Law 97. The law is both lauded for its ambition and criticized for its leniency, but if the recent increase in staffing is any indication, city officials intend to prioritize the preservation of this city’s ecosystem. Preparing for the inevitable future will only prevent unnecessary costs, so it’s important for building owners to begin investing now, as the 2025 benchmark rapidly approaches.
While the upfront costs might seem daunting, investing in green energy has long-term benefits, for both the city and building owners alike. For more assistance with understanding Local Law 97, or for any other building code and zoning concerns, contact Outsource Consultants, Inc.
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