Benchmarking Season Is Here for Co-ops and Condos

It’s that time of year again – benchmarking season – time for co-op and condo boards and their property managers to compile and report their building’s 2020 water and energy usage data, which will be the basis for each building’s energy efficiency letter grade that will be issued later this year. All properties on the city’s newly released 2021 Covered Buildings List must submit their benchmarking report by May 1.

This year there is no shortage of ways to get educated on the minutiae of benchmarking. The NYC Sustainability Help Center is offering several free classes and seminars online that will be of use to boards and their managers as they set about the immediate task of complying with benchmarking rules and the long-term task of complying with the city's Climate Mobilization Act:

Benchmarking Refresher for Returning Users. This special refresher course will walk you through the steps you need to take to submit your 2020 data well in advance of the May 1 deadline. To select a date and register, click here

Building Energy Compliance Seminar: Project Planning and Implementation. A free, four-part interactive class on how to minimize or eliminate financial penalties for carbon emissions that will be imposed under the Climate Mobilization Act beginning in 2024. The training will be divided into four sessions, and you should plan to attend all four. The training starts at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 30. To register, click here.

How to Benchmark Your Building. A free, three-part course to equip co-op and condo boards with all they need to know about New York City’s annual benchmarking requirements and submission process. The first session begins at 2 p.m. on April 1. Please plan to attend all three. To register, click here.

Building Energy Compliance Seminar: Introduction to Local Laws. A free, three-hour session that gives co-op and condo boards and their property managers a comprehensive view of New York City’s energy laws. Laws covered in the seminar include: Building Energy Efficiency Grades; Benchmarking; Limits on Building Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Energy Audits and Retro-commissioning; the Property Assessed Clean Energy loan program for sustainable energy. The seminar will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 8. To register, click here.

The Department of Buildings's website also offers Benchmark Compliance Instructions.