According to the New York City Department of Buildings (NYC DOB), NYC buildings contribute almost 75% of the City’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In an effort to reduce GHG emissions, the City Council passed the Climate Mobilization Act (CMA) in 2019, which included Local Law 97 (LL97). LL97 establishes GHG limits for “covered buildings,” which include buildings over 25,000 gross square feet. Life science buildings are generally considered covered buildings and, since they tend to be private buildings, in most cases they fall under Article 320. This article reduces GHG emissions limits over time, with the intention of reducing building emissions by 40% by 2030 and to net zero by 2050.
LL97 came into effect in 2024, and building owners must submit their first compliance report by May 1, 2025, although there is a 60-day grace period for this reporting cycle. The compliance report covers GHG emissions from the 2024 calendar year. In March 2025, BEAM, the online LL97 reporting portal, was launched. Building owners must register with BEAM. Buildings covered by Article 320 must also create an Energy Star Portfolio Manager (ESPM) account; energy consumption data is imported from ESPM to determine GHG emissions for the compliance report. The report can also include GHG offsets and renewable energy credits, and these additions can reduce a building’s overall GHG emission limits.
A compliance report submission can lead to one of three outcomes. If GHG emissions are below regulatory limits, then the building is compliant. If GHG emissions exceed regulatory limits, the building must either pay a penalty or undergo a mediated resolution, which involves the submission of a secondary report that outlines action items, or good faith efforts (GFE), that will be taken to comply with GHG emissions limits. According to 1 RCNY §103-14(h), the financial penalty for exceeding GHG emissions limits is $268 multiplied by the difference between the reported emissions limits and the regulatory GHG emissions limits.
While building owners are responsible for complying with LL97 and submitting compliance reports, tenants, especially life science tenants, are significant contributors to GHG emissions in a building. Laboratory work requires heat, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that modulate the temperature of the facility and contribute to worker and building occupant safety by drawing potential contaminants out of the building. Local exhaust ventilation, such as fume hoods, are an integral engineering control that protects workers from chemical exposures; however, they also consume energy.
In addition, general laboratory equipment contributes to energy consumption, especially equipment such as freezers, refrigerators, and incubators that operate all day and night to maintain chemicals and/or biological samples at a set temperature. While strategies aimed at reducing GHG emissions associated with building operations are crucial, initiatives targeted at reducing life science tenants’ GHG emissions are equally important.
Since life science tenants contribute to building GHG emissions, their operations and laboratory equipment can be assessed to pinpoint opportunities for potential GHG emissions reductions. Before a tenant moves into the building, their facility layout and equipment should be reviewed to determine if energy-efficient fume hoods and other local exhaust ventilation can be installed. If the tenant is purchasing freezers and refrigerators, they can consider purchasing energy-efficient cold storage. A walkthrough of tenant laboratory spaces can identify equipment that contributes to GHG emissions, and recommendations for more energy-efficient equipment can be made. This can make an impact on reducing tenants’ GHG emissions as they grow and need to purchase more laboratory equipment to keep up with operations.
Reducing New York City’s building GHG emissions to net zero by 2050 is an ambitious goal. While it seems like it may not be a feasible goal for life science buildings due to the scope of their work, an assessment of their operations, equipment, and energy usage can prove otherwise. Scientific innovations and reducing GHG emissions are not contradictory goals; they can be addressed simultaneously through a concerted effort by building owners and tenants.
For additional information on Local Law 97 and energy-efficient laboratory equipment, or for assistance with tenant walkthroughs to assess their operations, equipment, and energy usage, please contact us!
This blog was written by Rae Moore, Safety Partners’ Senior Quality, Research, and Training Specialist.
