#Local Law 97 #Cotocon Group #NYC Compliance

The Cotocon Group: Guiding NYC Property Owners Through Compliance Challenges

In the wake of New York City's Local Law 97 filing deadline of May 1, 2026, The Cotocon Group is stepping up to provide essential compliance support to property owners across the five boroughs. As a leading building compliance and sustainability consulting firm, The Cotocon Group recognizes that the work of ensuring compliance is far from over just because the filing season has ended. In fact, for many buildings, this period marks the beginning of a critical phase in addressing potential compliance challenges.

Post-Filing Review and Compliance Strategy

Ten days past the May 1 deadline, the Cotocon Team is actively conducting thorough reviews of what was filed. They have identified that many buildings that believed they submitted compliant and accurate reports may have grossly misrepresented their compliance statuses. These reviews have unveiled a range of issues, including:

• - Inaccurate energy data representations
• - Mismatched benchmarking figures
• - Incorrect emissions factors
• - Compliance pathways that diverge from a building's actual emissions profile

Jimmy Carchietta, the founder and CEO of The Cotocon Group, asserts, “We are in buildings right now reviewing what was submitted and finding issues that owners did not know existed.” The aim here is not only to rectify discrepancies but to ensure that the future compliance strategies align perfectly with their clients’ actual emissions.

According to the NYC Department of Buildings, around 93% of covered privately-owned properties managed to file their compliance reports, but about 1,400 properties are facing the potential for enforcement due to non-filing. Moreover, continued audits by the Department signify that the accuracy of these filings is under scrutiny.

Comprehensive Compliance Services

The Cotocon Group offers a full spectrum of compliance services under the ever-evolving landscape of New York City's building energy laws. Their notable initiatives for Local Law 97 cover:
- Post-Filing Review & Verification: A detailed scrutiny to ensure data accuracy.
- Compliance Pathway Analysis: Evaluation and correction of compliance paths.
- Penalty Exposure Assessment: Insight into financial implications and planning support.
- Filing Support: Assistance with BEAM and DOB filings, ensuring all reports meet requisite standards.
- Audit Preparation: Adequate documentation for upcoming audits.
- Year-Round Monitoring: Continuous emissions monitoring via their proprietary platform, The Carbon Shield.

“The Carbon Shield was built because we saw that building owners needed more than a filing service. They needed a way to understand their compliance position at any point during the year, not just in May,