The Real Estate Board of New York to The Committee on Environmental Protection of the New York City Council Regarding the FY 2023 Preliminary Budget

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For FY2023, REBNY encourages that additional funding be provided for the Department of Buildings to fund the full implementation of Local Law 97 of 2019 (LL97). Reaching our shared goals requires collective effort from both the public and private sectors to deal with the crisis at hand. REBNY supports City and State emissions reductions goals, and we are proud to represent members who are innovating in the fields of building construction and technology to reduce carbon footprints, increase energy efficiencies, and taking concrete steps to strengthen climate resilience. Adequate funding for the Office of Building Energy and Emissions Performance (OBEEP) at the Department of Buildings is critically important to realizing these goals. OBEEP was created to ensure implementation of LL97, including oversight of advisory boards currently facilitating the law’s technical details, and ultimately executing compliance as the law requires, beginning in 2024. As such, funding is required for the Office to ensure the successful implementation of the law.

REBNY along with other stakeholders including 32BJ, ConEd, the Regional Plan Association (RPA), the Sierra Club, Urban Green Council, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and New York Communities for Change recently penned a letter to the City Council calling for OBEEP to be prioritized for funding.