What to Expect During an LL87 Energy Audit in NYC

Buildings account for 40% of the total energy used in the United States. Most of it is obtained through burning fossil fuels, which is not sustainable. For this reason, the authorities have enacted several legislations to make buildings more energy efficient.

Local Law 87 audit NYC is one piece of legislation that can make a building more energy-efficient. This law mandates that the owner conduct an annual energy audit to comprehend the building's consumption.

But the question is, what should you expect during these inspections? We will learn more in detail here, so make sure to read it to the end for a better idea.

Overview of Local Law 87

This NYC legislation requires buildings with over five thousand square feet of area to be retro-commissioned and go through energy audits every year. You are required to submit the result of such an energy audit to the authorities by the 1st of May of every calendar year. A few of the main components of the energy audit process in NYC are as follows:

Energy Efficiency Report: This is the first and most important component of this audit process. You must submit it to the Department of Buildings before the deadline. This report must include all the relevant audit results and give an idea of the building's energy consumption.

Energy Audit: The other major component of this cocktail is the energy audit. It will allow an opportunity to determine the possibility of saving energy. This could involve various components that consume energy within the building

Retro Commissioning: The final key element of Local Law 87 is that of optimizing existing building systems. This will serve to enhance overall building energy efficiency while minimizing losses.

What are the primary reasons for having energy audits under Local Law 87?

You should consider getting energy audits under Local Law 87 for the following reasons. These reasons are quite apparent, but it is still worth taking a closer look at them for better clarity. So, here are some of the most important reasons to get energy audits under Local Law 87:

1. Economic Perks

Of course, the foremost reason for undergoing an energy audit under Local Law 87 is the economic benefit. Such audits can be highly useful in decreasing the operating cost of the building and increasing its market value. This also improves the marketability of the building, thus becoming more attractive to tenants looking for sustainable accommodation.

2. Building Performance Improvement

The second and very critical reason to go for building inspection LL87 is that it boosts the overall performance of the building. These assessments find out those areas that would need further upgrades and take all the right actions towards them. This helps the owners of the building improve the general energy use of the building and drive in more savings with minimum effort.

3. Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The final reason to get an energy audient under Local Law 87 is to reduce the building's greenhouse gas emissions. This is because buildings account for a significant proportion of the total energy use in NYC. Such audits can identify areas where you can leverage enhancements to optimize energy use. This, in turn, helps reduce overall energy consumption and drive better savings with limited greenhouse gas emissions.

Steps in Energy Audits Under Local Law 87

Under Local Law 87, the process for carrying out an energy audit involves several simple steps, which need to be put into action so as to deliver correctly. On this note, let's see how these LL87 energy audit steps are related and let’s clear it up a little more in that regard:

Step 1: Find an Energy Audit Service Provider qualified enough

For starters, find an appropriately qualified energy audit service provider. In this step, make sure the auditor is properly certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI).

Besides that, certification by the Association of Energy Engineers or any other institution accredited will work. The assessment will check out all the systems within the building from the air-conditioning, heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning to lighting and energy usage, energy consumption, and lighting system.

Step 2: On-site Inspection

The next thing you need to do is conduct an on-site visit with the energy auditor to assess everything properly. They evaluate different aspects of the building's total energy consumption and the performance of every little system in place.

This means reviewing the building's utility bills and interviewing staff members. Auditors will also perform diagnostic tests to determine potential areas to save energy.

Step 3: Data Collection and Analysis

This is the most important step in the entire energy audit process. Here, you will gather data from various sources and identify areas for further improvement.

Identifying areas for energy savings in the building is imperative for taking the right steps to reduce total energy consumption. To get more clarity on the matter, you must benchmark the building's total energy consumption and compare this data with similar buildings.

Step 4: Preparing the Proper Report

The final step involves preparing energy reports. The report is usually fairly detailed and elaborate, providing an overall idea about the total consumption of energy for the building in question. Summaries of everything you find have to be correctly provided from your audit report.

The report generally includes a list of ECMs, including energy saving, cost-benefit analysis, and recommendations for energy savings. The owner can implement the recommendation and achieve even better energy efficiency with minimal effort.

Wrapping Up

Conducting regular energy audits is no longer an option for building owners in NYC, and there is no way around it. You must evaluate every aspect of the energy audit and ensure you don't miss out on anything.

You can also hire experts offering energy auditing services in NYC, which can make it easier and more manageable for you. This will help you get more accurate results from the audit and take proper corrective measures accordingly.