On May 1, 2011, local law 84 in New York City requires that all residential and commercial buildings with 50,000 or more square feet benchmark their energy and water use. However, penalties for failure to comply will not be assessed until “at least August 1,” announced the city’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability today[1]. The Urban Green Council, which has been conducting outreach to building owners about the new legislation, applauds the extension, saying that it provides “much needed breathing room” for owners who may not understand how to measure their energy and water consumption using new EPA tools. The program is designed to collect energy data and then help property owners reduce operating costs. The law is part of NYC mayor Bloomberg’s Greener Greater Buildings Plan, a plan designed to help conserve energy in the city and retrofit buildings for greater energy efficiency.
Do you think that local governments should have a role in enforcing energy efficiency?
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[1] http://www.globest.com/news/1876_1876/newyork/308280-1.html
The Law sounds like a good idea. It’s hard to say how much time or effort will be required to benchmark a property, but it is in everyone’s best interest to try to use less energy in this country. And it is certainly better to try out different ideas on the local level as opposed to trying to have the Federal Govt doing it.
No that is not the governments job if the owner wants to save money and energy that is his business not the governments. Besides it will cost us tax payers more to enforce this rule. This is Big Govenment rule over indiviual choice. I Thought Choice of the people is what we wanted not Big Government dictating what you can and can do or MUST DO OR PAY FINE.