Free Benchmarking Helpline Among Resources To Help NYC Buildings Comply with Energy Efficiency Law

March 7, 2011 - PRLog -- A free benchmarking helpline has been launched to help NYC building owners and managers comply with the city’s landmark benchmarking law. Local Law 84 requires buildings over 50,000 square feet to report their 2010 energy consumption data by May 1, 2011. Over 14,000 buildings in the city are affected.  Other resources include free presentations offered by the Urban Green Council to building industry organizations, building owners, managers, tenants, and any group impacted by the new requirements.

“This data will be made public so it is important to get it right the first time around. The helpline will offer guidance and help clear concerns that will inevitably arise when dealing with a major new law,” says Sheila Sweeney, director of energy services at Great Forest, the NYC-based sustainability consultancy running the benchmarking helpline.

“As the deadline approaches, we anticipate that building owners and managers will have questions and concerns about whether the data they have collected is sufficient, how to work with tenants and various stakeholders to ensure the May deadline is met, and how to avoid mistakes, which might affect their future sustainability efforts and ENERGY STAR rating."

Questions regarding commercial and mixed-used buildings may be sent to the benchmarking helpline at: http://www.greatforest.com/benchmarkinghelpline

A Great Forest sustainability consultant will reply to questions sent to the helpline within 48 hours. Benchmarking resources, including a checklist, a summary of the law, useful forms, and a list of buildings required to be in compliance are also available.

To have a free presentation brought to your office or organization, contact the Urban Green Council at outreach@urbangreencouncil.org.  Great Forest is working with the Urban Green Council as a presenter.

NYC’s Local Law 84 is part of a trend towards greener buildings with similar efforts in San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Seattle, as well as the President’s recently announced “Better Buildings Initiative” that includes new ways to improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings across the country.

About Great Forest, http://www.greatforest.com
With over 20 years of experience, Great Forest is a leader in sustainability consulting, providing project management expertise to clients nationwide. Great Forest has worked with over 1,500 buildings across the country and more than half of all commercial office space and hotels in the NYC region.  Great Forest spearheads sustainability solutions for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to educational institutions, hotels, retailers and property management companies.

Contact:   Great Forest, 212-779-4757

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Great Forest is a leader in sustainability consulting, providing project management expertise to clients nationwide ranging from Fortune 500 companies to educational institutions, hotels, retailers and property management companies. www.greatforest.com