NYC Local Law 88 - Lighting Upgrades and Sub-metering
Lighting
Did you know that lighting accounts for 18% of energy consumption and carbon emissions in NYC buildings?
New York City’s Local Law 88 (LL88) requires buildings over 25,000 square feet to upgrade their building’s lighting fixtures to meet requirements outlined in the NYC Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC) by January 1, 2025. For residential spaces required to comply, the NYCECC requires that 75% of lighting systems use more efficient lightbulbs and high efficacy lamps and fixtures.
New lamps and light fixtures can be a capital-intensive upfront cost, making it more cost-effective to upgrade your lighting systems before 2025. By starting to switch over your lighting system now, the costs can be spread out over the next few months. You will also immediately see energy savings after the installation of high efficacy fixtures and high efficiency lightbulbs- LED bulbs have a lifespan 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs, and the energy costs for LED bulbs are 1/5 the cost of incandescent bulbs.
Metro Group’s electrical contractors are here to provide a sustainable turnkey service that includes guiding you through Local Law 88 compliance, designing a more efficient lighting system, and installing the lighting system in your building.
Sub-metering
LL88 also requires the electrical installation of sub-meters in each commercial (non-residential) tenant space larger than 5,000 gross square feet. This includes residential buildings that have commercial tenants or amenity spaces over 5,000 gross square feet; these commercial spaces must be sub-metered by 2024.
Installing electrical sub-meters can be a capital-intensive upfront cost. To mitigate this, property owners have the option of installing submeters all at once or on an ongoing basis, as long as installations are completed by the city’s deadline of January 1, 2025.
To comply with LL88, a report must be submitted before May 1, 2025, by a Licensed Master Electrician or engineer verifying that your property is compliant with sub-metering regulations. Residential buildings that do not have commercial tenant spaces over 5,000 gross square feet will still need to submit a report demonstrating that the property does not have covered tenant spaces covered under the law.
LL88 also requires that property owners provide tenants with a report each month detailing their electricity usage. The intent of LL88’s sub-metering requirements is to improve energy efficiency across NYC buildings by giving commercial space tenants better visibility and understanding of their energy consumption.
Metro Group’s electrical contractors are here to provide a sustainable turnkey service that includes guiding you through Local Law 88 compliance, installing a more efficient sub-metering system, and connecting you with one of our Licensed Master Electricians.
Metro Group can also help customize and implement a decarbonized plan and energy upgrades to ensure your building complies with New York Local Law 97 (LL97).
