Local Law 97: Cutting Carbon and Fines —While Adding Money to the Budget

• Client Name: First Service
• Industry: Property Management
• Client Representative: John Skipper, Director of Energy Management

The Challenge: “Local Law 97 is very complicated,” John explains. Each building has its own carbon target, calculated from historical energy use and square footage. Exceed that limit and the Department of Buildings starts writing tickets—annually—beginning January 1, 2025.

The Solution: 

Runwise tackles the biggest carbon lever first: the boiler and chillers and cooling tower. Wireless sensors and a cloud control cut excess run‑time, driving 15–20 % fuel savings. Less fuel burned equals fewer carbon tons reported—directly lowering a building’s LL97 exposure.

The Results:

• Buildings showing small 2025 fines often wipe them out after Runwise is installed.
• Properties staring at $30k–$40k penalties a decade out routinely see those numbers fall “significantly”—sometimes to zero.
• Savings come with 100 %‑plus return on investment, meaning the system adds money to the budget instead of removing it, thanks to both lower fuel bills and avoided penalties.
  
  “Use less energy, emit less carbon, and the fines melt away.” — John Skipper