Local Law 33 is already an active New York City ordinance that requires buildings above 25,000 square feet to post an energy efficiency grade at each public entrance beginning in 2020. Similar to the Department of Health grades for restaurants, a building’s energy efficiency grade will be a letter.
However, a subsequent ordinance (Local Law 95) changed the grade distribution. City grades are determined by a building’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager score, which comes from the annual energy benchmarking that is required under Local Law 84 and 133 (LL84/133).
See the below breakdown of the new Local Law 33 and Local Law 95 (LL33/95) grades:
- A: 85 & above
- B: 70-84
- C: 55-69
- D: 54 & below
- F: Non-compliance
- N: Exempt or score not feasible to obtain*
Labels, like the sample on the left, will be made available in the DOB NOW public portal on October 1, 2020. The building grade must be displayed in a conspicuous location in each public entrance of the building by October 31, 2020. Failure to do so will result in an annual fine of $1,250.
As an EnergyScoreCards subscriber, your LL84/133 energy benchmarking data was already submitted before the August 1 deadline.** Now, all you need to do is access the DOB NOW portal to download your grade and post it in a conspicuous location at each public entrance of your building by October 31, 2020.
LL33/95 is a unique way for building owners to market to environmentally-conscious tenants or to gain public recognition for your commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability. Your grade will not only reflect your building’s performance, but it will also show that you prioritize occupant comfort and wellness, as well as environmental health.
To learn more about your building’s grade, reach out to your Bright Power Account Manager, your dedicated Energy Analyst, or contact us to learn how you can take action before next year’s grades are posted.
*Buildings with an N grade contain a data center, television studio, and/or a trading floor that is >10% Gross Floor Area (GFA) and are exempt from compliance. Some mixed-use buildings that do not meet Portfolio Manager’s requirements for a score and multifamily buildings with fewer than 20 units will also receive an N grade.
**This year’s deadline was pushed to August 1 due to COVID-19. In normal years, the deadline for LL84/133 data is May 1.