Request a proposal In the field. In the documents. On the record.KOW editorial topic
Building performance
KOW guidance on energy, water, commissioning, affordable-housing programs, sustainability strategy, and building-performance compliance.
Why this topic matters
Technical context for a better-informed decision.
Building performance sits at the intersection of design, equipment, controls, operations, maintenance, occupancy, utility data, capital planning, and applicable program or regulatory requirements. A useful strategy recognizes those dependencies instead of treating each measure in isolation.
KOW’s building-performance coverage is written for owners, developers, housing organizations, and financing stakeholders. Because programs, incentives, standards, and rules change, time-sensitive articles identify their date and should be confirmed against current authoritative requirements.
Questions we cover
Start with what the reader needs to understand.
- 01
Which requirements or program pathways apply to the building or project?
- 02
What does current performance data reveal—and where are the data limitations?
- 03
How should operational improvements, maintenance, controls, and capital measures be sequenced?
- 04
Which documentation, testing, and verification steps must be protected through closeout?
Connected expertise
Services behind the subject matter.
Sustainability Consulting
A project-specific sustainability brief and implementation roadmap aligned with ownership goals, capital plans, and project milestones.
Explore service 02Local Law 84 Benchmarking
Annual energy and water data collection, validation, Portfolio Manager coordination, and submission support for applicable New York City buildings.
Explore service 03Local Law 87 Energy Audits & Retro-Commissioning
Energy audit, retro-commissioning, corrective-action tracking, and filing support for applicable New York City buildings.
Explore service 04Local Law 97 Planning & Compliance
Building-specific emissions analysis, compliance planning, measure evaluation, documentation, and capital-roadmap support for New York City owners.
Explore serviceReader perspectives
Useful questions depend on your role.
Owners & Developers
Technical support from acquisition and feasibility through design, accessibility, construction, compliance, capital work, and operations.
See your perspectivePublic & Housing Agencies
Physical-needs, accessibility, environmental, construction, and building-performance consulting for regulated, mission-driven, and affordable-housing portfolios.
See your perspectiveInvestors & Asset Managers
Independent condition, environmental, construction, and capital information for acquisitions, business plans, and operating portfolios.
See your perspectiveComplete topic library
34 articles from KOW.
EGC 2020 Sunsets Tomorrow: KOW is Ready for Enterprise Green Communities 2026
2 min readSeptember 2, 2026Closed-Loop Water Quality: Treat the System, Not One Sample
12 min readSeptember 2, 2026Cooling-Plant Renewal and Electrification: Rebuild the System Around the Load
12 min readSeptember 2, 2026Tenant Utility Data and Green Leases: Make Access an Operating Process
11 min readSeptember 2, 2026Portfolio Water-Loss Response: Turn Every Alert Into a Closed Operating Record
11 min readSeptember 2, 2026Controls Trend-Data Governance: Keep Every Point Understandable After the Project
12 min readSeptember 2, 2026Building Management System Replacement: Preserve Control While the Platform Changes
12 min readSeptember 2, 2026Domestic-Hot-Water Electrification: Size the Plant and the Recirculation Load
12 min readSeptember 1, 2026Local Law 97 Portfolio Planning: Keep Every Number Tied to a Building
11 min readSeptember 1, 2026Energy and Capital Projects in Occupied Buildings: Sequence the Work Around Operations
12 min readSeptember 1, 2026Energy Benchmarking Data Quality: Make the Numbers Worth Planning From
10 min readSeptember 1, 2026NYC Façade, Parapet, and Parking-Structure Inspections: Coordinate the Work, Keep the Programs Separate
11 min readSeptember 1, 2026Energy-Project Measurement and Verification: Protect the Baseline Before Work Begins
11 min readSeptember 1, 2026Portfolio Water Management: Build the Meter Map Before Selecting Projects
11 min readSeptember 1, 2026Utility Data During Acquisition: Transfer the Meter Record, Not Just the Bills
11 min readSeptember 1, 2026Commissioning Milestones Owners Should Protect from Design Through Turnover
10 min readSeptember 1, 2026From Commissioning Issue to Warranty Action: Keep the Evidence Alive After Turnover
11 min readSeptember 1, 2026Building Electrification Feasibility: Answer the Capacity and Phasing Questions Before Design
11 min readSeptember 1, 2026Commissioning After Occupancy: Keep the System Record Alive
11 min readSeptember 1, 2026Portfolio Commissioning Across Mixed Controls: Standardize the Evidence, Not the Hardware
11 min readAugust 31, 2026NYC Energy Code and TR8: Build the Inspection Record Before Work Is Concealed
10 min readAugust 21, 2026Local Laws 84, 87, and 97: Three Jobs, One Building Record
8 min readApril 10, 2026California WAIRE Program: Rule 2305 Guide for Warehouse Owners | KOWBC
7 min readFebruary 24, 2026Local Law 97 Planning: From Annual Exposure to Capital Strategy
7 min readJanuary 19, 2026KOW Building Consultants Now Performing Local Law 126 Parapet Inspections Across NYC
3 min readDecember 12, 20252025 New York Energy Code (ECCCNYS): What Builders and Homeowners Need to Know
3 min readDecember 5, 2025LL87 Deadline Update: NYC extends 2025 EER filing to March 31, 2026
1 min readOctober 16, 2025C-PACE Financing Gains Momentum in NYC — New Opportunities for Developers and Owners
2 min readOctober 4, 2025How to Stay Compliant with NYC Local Laws 87 and 97: A Guide for Property Owners
5 min readAugust 26, 2025OBBBA Tax Credit Changes: What Multifamily and Commercial Developers and Lenders Need to Know
4 min readJuly 30, 2025Enterprise Green Communities 2026 Draft: What You Need to Know
3 min readJuly 9, 2025NYSERDA’s Buildings of Excellence Round 6: $15M Now Available for High-Performance Multifamily Projects in New
2 min readOctober 30, 2024The Essentials of Boiler Commissioning for NYC’s Green Buildings
3 min readOctober 29, 2024Navigating NYC's Local Law 97: Why Consulting Matters for Sustainable Compliance
3 min readStart a conversation
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