The Climate Mobilization Act, NYC Local Law 97 (LL97) became law in May 2019. This environmental law mandates reductions in carbon emissions from buildings in New York City starting in 2024. It also adds a requirement to report annually on a building’s carbon emissions. This new law covers both new and existing commercial buildings larger than 25,000 square feet, or groups of two or more buildings with a total area of more than 50,000 square feet if they are under the same tax lot or part of the same condominium project. The carbon emission targets vary based on the occupancy class of the building and are calculated by the square footage of the building.
These building carbon emission targets are going to decrease over time in two stages. The first stage, from 2024 to 2029 has been set based on annual energy benchmarking data to affect only the top 20% of carbon emitters. The second stage, from 2030 to 2034, reduces the emissions caps to impact 75% of all buildings. Unlike previous benchmarking laws however, there are substantial penalties for non-compliance to either the reporting requirements or the emissions caps in LL97.
How to know if you comply to the emissions capsA property manager can find out if they comply with the upcoming 2024-2029 emissions caps, or the much tougher 2030-2034 caps today. With minor exceptions, the buildings covered by this new law have already been subject to the New York benchmarking laws LL84, and LL133, so affected property managers have been required to calculate and report energy and water usage to the city for the last few years. With the data collected from the benchmarking survey the property manager can use a Carbon Emissions Calculator to determine if they comply.
How to get ready for 2024 (and 2030)Even if a building doesn’t comply with these future mandates today, one of the benefits of reducing the carbon footprint of a building is those carbon emissions come from burned fuel, either at the boiler or the electric power plant, so reducing the carbon footprint of a property means reducing the building’s annual energy costs. Make smart investments in energy saving upgrades and they can pay for themselves in a few years.
Fortunately, for the property manager, there are climate action non-profit groups, and private engineering firms who have done the heavy lifting to determine the most cost-effective energy saving measures in commercial buildings. Data from these studies consistently shows that installing Domestic Hot Water controls like Heat-Timer’s Electronic Tempering Valves, can pay for itself in a year or less.
This data in this report was generated by looking at over 16,000 data points gathered from the thousands of buildings subject to NYC benchmarking laws. Its recommendations are therefore general. Wouldn’t it be nice if a property manager had this kind of data for their specific building? If a building already has Heat-Timer® Boiler or DHW controller, that kind of deep data analysis is available just by installing internet access through Heat-Timer® Building Net.
Turn Platinum data into smart investments in energy savingAs the world leader in automated heating control systems for commercial buildings, Heat-Timer® already has thousands of Platinum Series Controllers installed in boiler rooms across the country. Many of these controllers, however, were installed without internet connectivity features offered through Heat-Timer® Building Net. Through a simple upgrade, a Platinum Controller with an internet communication can further reduce energy usage and collect performance data that can be used to find more energy savings. For example, a Platinum controller with internet access can take advantage of Heat-Timer’s wireless space sensorswhich are now easily placed throughout a building. The Platinum Controller can use this real time temperature informationto continuality optimize its heating algorithm, anticipate and prevent building hot-spots and cold spots, ultimately saving an additional 15% to 25% in annual building heating costs for a very small upfront investment.
If you don’t have a Heat-Timer Platinum Series Control in your building at all, the savings are even more significant. Since heating costs run anywhere from 40 – 60% of the operating costs of a building, installation of a Heat-Timer Platinum Series Internet Control can get building owners almost 50% of the way toward the Carbon Emission reductions required in the initial phase of local law 97, even if they did no other upgrades!
If a property manager is going to turn data into cost saving, they need to start with the data. Adding internetcommunication allows the Platinum controller to access BuildingNet, Heat-Timer’s powerful remote access platform. BuildingNet allows the property manager to review historic data on heating system performance, and data from all remote sensors. A property owner/manager, reviewing the wireless sensor data can see areas in the building that are being overheated, or not receiving enough heat. Overheated areas of the building lead to open windows in midwinter, and tenants will warm areas without enough heat with inefficient electric space heaters. This is just one example of how a property manager can use BuildingNet’s big toolbox of data analysis tools, to reduce energy usage in the building.
When you start investing in energy savings start with Heat-Timer®For New York building owners, local law 97 certainly provides motivation to begin thinking about greener buildings. The good news is that with or without the added pressure of LL97 compliance, installation of class-leading Heat-Timer®Platinum Internetcontrols is a darn good idea for your bottom line.
And if you already have Platinum control in your building simply adding internet access to your controller can give you access to BuildingNet. BuildingNet’s tools can give you information you need to make targeted cost effective upgrades reducing your carbon footprint and adding a little green to your bottom line.
To learn more about how Heat-Timer can help you make green, cost-effective updates to your buildings, contact us today or visit our website at: https://www.heat-timer.com/
 
Original Blog Posted at - https://www.heat-timer.com/local-law-97-new-york-mandates-a-greener-state/  

There are gamblers out there who will bet on almost anything, cards, horses, dogs, you name it. But so far, we’ve never heard of a bookmaker giving odds on the safety of the water supply in a commercial domestic hot water system. Some property managers, on the other hand, either deliberately or inadvertently, are all in on that bet. They are betting that they can save a little money by not installing a 3-way domestic tempering valve, and still deliver hot water at the right temperature that is bacteria-free. They seem to gladly take that bet if it saves them some money in the short term. Unfortunately, if the bet goes bad, they stand to lose a lot more than if they had invested in a 3-way domestic tempering valve.
Here is the bet that some property managers take.
Most local and national plumbing codes require that the maximum temperature delivered to the hot water tap cannot exceed 120° F. This safety rule is in place because a water temperature of 125°F can scald an adult within 3 minutes and a temperature above 130°F can scald in seconds. Children and the elderly are even more at risk.
Instead of installing an Electronic Tempering Valve (ETV) like the Heat-Timer® ETV Platinum Plus to precisely control the temperature going to the faucets and showers, a property manager will just set the hot water heater/tank thermostat to 120°F and gamble that will be good enough.
A Risky Bet
Keeping the domestic hot water at 120° F is a risky bet because the temperature growth range for Legionella bacteria, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires disease, is between 68–122°F. Between 122°F and about 130°F the bacteria can survive but not multiply. If the hot water heater/tank is set between 120°F and 125°F there is no place in the entire hot water system that is hot enough to kill the Legionella bacteria. That takes a temperature above 140°F.
Here is where the property manager rolls the dice. If the domestic hot water temperature is set between 120°F and 125°F they are betting that there is no Legionella in the hot water system. Because once the bacteria is in the system, it won’t leave. Even in a circulating hot water loop, there are sections near the end of the loop that can drop below 120°F during periods of low usage. In those cool sections of the system Legionella can multiply. Once that water gets back to the water heater, it will be too hot for the bacteria to multiply, but not hot enough for it to die. The bacteria are ultimately pulled back into the circulation loop where they again have a chance to multiply.
Maintaining a safe DHW system doesn’t have to be a gamble
There is a better way to protect hot water users from both dangerous water temps and the risk of Legionella inside the hot water system. First the tempering valves like Heat-Timer’s ETV can maintain a steady temperature of 120 +/- 2 degrees in the loop, preventing temperature swings in the facility, even under rapidly changing flow conditions, thus reducing the potential scald hazard.
Second, using an ETV allows the hot water temperature to be stored above 140°F, ensuring that any Legionella is not just rendered inert, but it is actually killed. The high temperature in the water heater/tank means that no live Legionella enters the circulation loop, meaning that it cannot populate the sections of the loop that may drop below 120°F. Any bacteria that is either in the loop or entering in the make-up water is returned to the water heater/tank where it is killed by the high water temperature.
With a Heat-Timer® ETV building occupants are winners too.
For the occupants of the building, the benefit of having an ETV tempering valve is obvious during high demand periods.Water usage in the systems without an ETV and 120°F storage temperature will begin to pull down the temperature in the water heater/tank as cold makeup water is introduced. This demand outstrips the ability of the water heater/tank to heat the incoming water. Resulting in just lukewarm water at the showerhead.
With an ETV installed in the system, a drop of a few degrees in the water heater down from 140°F will not affect the water temperature at the showerhead. This is because the ETV Platinum Plus controller will maintain a steady 120°F temperature in the hot water loop, even during peak demand in the morning. At the showerhead, the water temperature stays just right.
With a Heat-Timer® ETV Platinum Plus you get safe hot water and BuildingNet too.
Investing in a Heat-Timer® ETV will ensure that the hot water system is safe for users and stays safe. For the property manager, the ETVPlatinum Plus interfaces with BuildingNet, Heat-Timer’s remote access software, like all Heat-Timer® Platinum products. BuildingNet allows you to monitor the performance and see alarms from the DHW controller on a mobile device anywhere with internet connection, whether on vacation at the casino or at home in a nice hot bath.
With the Heat-Timer® ETV, you’ve made a winning bet every time! To learn more about safe domestic hot water solutions, contact us today or visit our website at: https://www.heat-timer.com/
 
Original Blog Posted at - https://www.heat-timer.com/why-roll-the-dice-with-water-safety/