The 2021 Energy Efficiency Letter Grades for large buildings in New York City are out, and available now on the DOB NOW Public Portal.

Don't Forget! Property owners are legally required to print out their updated 2021 signs, and replace the old 2020 signs at the public entrances of their buildings by Sunday, October 31st. These letter grade signs provide a quick snapshot of a building's energy efficiency in an easy to understand format for building owners, tenants and members of the public.

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Print Out Your Letter Grade Sign on the DOB NOW Public Portal

On November 8th, 2021, a new integrated energy review process will be added to DOB NOW: Build for all new filings. Based on the type of filing and other information provided, DOB NOW will automatically determine if an Energy Submission is required for the project. For all BIS and DOB NOW filings that are started by November 5th (are in Pre-filing status or later), the current energy review process will continue.

The Department is conducting free training sessions to explain the new process and demonstrate how to use DOB NOW: Build. Visit the DOB NOW Training Page to register for training and to access step-by-step guides, user manuals, and videos.

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Find out more information about DOB NOW

Beginning January 1, 2022, the Department will only accept the Energy Efficiency Reports (EER) required by Local Law 87 of 2009 that are prepared and filed by a registered design professional.

The owners of buildings covered under Local law 87 are legally required to submit an EER to the Department once every ten years. This EER includes information about required retro-commissioning which details the testing and re-tuning of existing building systems to improve energy efficiency, as well as a future-thinking energy audit report which identifies potential new opportunities to further reduce the amount of energy consumed in the building.

Registered energy auditors and retro-commissioning agents who are not registered design professionals may continue to submit an EER to DOB until their current registrations expire or until December 31, 2021, whichever is earlier. Registrations for these individuals will not be renewed once it expires.

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Information about Energy Audits & Retro Commissioning

Did you know that DOB has a dedicated email newsletter for members of the industry and property owners focused on building sustainability in New York City?

By signing up to receive our Sustainable Buildings News newsletter, you can be make sure you are in the loop on all of the latest service updates and upcoming deadlines related to Local Law 97, the NYC Energy Conservation Code, energy efficiency letter grade signs, and our other sustainability initiatives here at DOB.

Read the Latest Edition of Sustainable Buildings News

Sign up For The Newsletter

You still have time to submit ideas for our "Hack The Building Code" innovation challenge. We are asking industry professionals and the public for their best ideas on ways we can improve how we can design, construct and maintain our city of over 1.1 million buildings.

If you have a system, product, technology or idea on how to improve our city's built environment, we want to hear about it. Winners of this innovation challenge will receive DOB technical support and assistance in introducing their technology to NYC's design and construction industries.

Apply Today

The deadline to submit your application is November 3rd, 2021.

Need help understanding building regulations in NYC? Want to talk directly to DOB subject matter experts about your construction-related questions? Curious about the latest service updates at the Department?

Then join the hundreds of your fellow New Yorkers who have already been attending our live online DOB events by registering for an upcoming borough-specific session today!

Queens Live Q&A Session – Our online borough Q&A Session for property owners, registered design professionals, filing representatives and other licensees/registrants in Queens provides a space for attendees to ask job specific questions about permits, violations and DOB regulations. Thursday, October 28 at 2pm. Sign up here.

Staten Island Industry Meeting – Our online meeting for registered design professionals in Staten Island to discuss borough specific policy and business process questions. These virtual meetings will provide industry members with a review of recent updates and policy decisions at DOB. Friday, October 29 at 2pm. Sign up here.

Bronx Industry Meeting – Our online meeting for registered design professionals in the Bronx to discuss borough specific policy and business process questions. These virtual meetings will provide industry members with a review of recent updates and policy decisions at DOB. Wednesday, November 3 at 2pm. Sign up here.

Check out the full calendar of upcoming online events, and sign-up to attend by visiting nyc.gov/DOBevents.

Do you still owe the City unpaid OATH/ECB judgments related to resolved DOB-issued violations? Then you may be able to reduce those fines by up to 75% through the NYC Department of Finance's FAIRER (Fine and Interest Reduction Enabling Recovery) Program.

Running through December 20, 2021, this program allows you to pay a reduced amount for eligible Environmental Control Board judgments, if the violations are certified as corrected with DOB.

The FAIRER Program is open to any individual or business named on a city-issued OATH/ECB violation. For questions about a DOB-issued violation, contact the Department's Administrative Enforcement Unit at (212) 393-2405 or online.