EMAIL INTERVIEW – Mark Pipher and Ken Sinclair

Sinclair:  Is the New York City Local Law 97 (Climate Mobilization Act) going to change the way property owners think about and address energy use?

Pipher:  New York City is making a statement to property owners that Local Law 97 is not just another funded project that gives people weak incentives to make a change. This new legislation comes with very stringent requirements that will accumulate hefty annual fines for any properties that do not comply, making it a program with teeth. Local Law 97 will make non-compliance more costly than compliance, which makes it an opportune moment for property managers to reconsider how they’re managing and controlling energy use from their critical assets.

Sinclair:  Do you think that NYC will see a significant impact by setting these goals and penalties?

Pipher:  There are plenty of programs out there that give incentives to people to make a change and correct issues. Most local utility companies are glad to get help with incentives; however, this will not help achieve a wider commitment in carbon reduction as facilities must be willing to take on the reporting and paperwork to apply for these incentives.  As a result, incentives more of a nice-to-have as opposed to a need-to-have from facility managers and therefore, not everyone will jump on board. By mandating the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and enforcing steep fines for non-compliance, the playing field will be levelled and everyone who is already significantly contributing to NYC’s greenhouse gas emissions will need to be involved in driving the reductions that the city wants to see.

Sinclair:  What is the best way for property owners to prepare themselves for this new law?

Pipher:  Technology is the best approach. Monitoring-Based Commissioning is the latest in proven technology that makes it possible for building managers to financially achieve these goals in time. In most facilities, there are a number of systems and pieces of equipment where minor adjustments or proactive maintenance can provide tremendous savings in energy and costs – it’s just about finding what needs support and where.

To identify and provide actionable feedback for facility  management teams, these systems use advanced analytics to not just meet Local Law 97’s requirements below, but also maximize your savings for years to come:

1. Monitoring, Visibility, and Baselining – Know where you’re at and have access to real-time reports you need to bring smart asset monitoring, advanced predictive intelligence, continuous management and energy savings
2. Prioritize Fault Conditions – Make an impact on the necessary correction while improving your equipment life and access to complete system visibility and processes efficiency
3. Get expert advice and equipment optimization – Not only avoid fines but also save money in the long run with actionable insights for maintenance cost and energy savings
   

Sinclair:  Are there any other reasons to start now?

Pipher:  There are plenty of reasons to start now. Saving money on energy now is what this technology promises. In as little as 30 days, a cost-effective, secure and scalable digital solution can provide a return on investment with actionable analytics. Fault detection analytics, which are advanced detection algorithms that find equipment optimization enhancements, preventive maintenance actions, and energy savings enable the teams to get to resolution quicker.

Taking advantage of this new technology and current utility incentives that not only help support your actions but also drive long term savings year after year. Monitoring-based Commissioning is saving 10% in utilities today and driving operational efficiency up 20%.

Sinclair:   Are other states looking at NYC as the founding model for emission reduction?

Pipher:  While we can’t say for certain whether or not New York will set a precedent and create a clear-cut framework that other states, countries, etc. can follow for worldwide emission reduction, we do know that if any state is not mandating carbon reduction now, then they will be in the next few years. States like California, for instance, have started to stress the importance of a more sustainable building environment by achieving a net reduction in carbon emissions, all without hindering its economy.

NYC Local Law is a good example to follow and track to see how property owners step up and use technology like Monitoring-Based commissioning to their advantage and help our planet become as sustainable and environmentally friendly for all next generations to come.

Sinclair:  Are any other parts of the world doing similar programs?

Pipher:  Although they don’t impose the potential fines and repercussions like Local Law 97’s hefty program, places like the United Kingdom have similar goals for carbon reduction like achieving 80% carbon reduction by 2050.

In 2005, there was a key checkpoint established to see if the UK can achieve its goal of decreasing emissions by 35% at least by 2020. The technology could play a bigger role now with further technology being applied to modern facilities such as IoT, cheaper sensor technology, and advanced analytics.