FEATURES | MANAGEMENT
the Expert Fabio Zaniboni, BubblyNet/Reinvent NYC
Ask
Fabio Zaniboni (Photo courtesy of BubblyNet)
After years of discussion, Local Law 97 (LL97), which establishes strict greenhouse gas emission limits (and imposes significant penalties for non-compliance) on buildings throughout New York City with a goal of a zero-carbon footprint by 2050, is finally a reality. Building owners and managers were required to file reports with the Department of Buildings on May 1, with many scrambling to meet the deadline. Fabio Zaniboni, founder and CEO of BubblyNet, a provider of smart building technologies, has launched Reinvent NYC, a modular platform that helps buildings track emissions, automate reporting and cut energy waste through smart HVAC control, lighting and occupancy sensors. Here, he discusses the challenges of compliance — and the
54 MANN REPORT | JUNE/JULY 2025
potential opportunities that go far beyond simply reducing energy use. (The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.) So, LL97 is now a reality. Did it still catch some owners and managers off guard? Yes. We’ve had Local Laws 87 and 88 as part of the broader push toward going green in New York City, but we still see many buildings that aren’t even complying with Local Law 88. LL97 started on May 1, requiring the first round of paperwork submissions. While the penalties for non-compliance can be substantial, the fines for greenhouse gas emissions above the baseline are still relatively moderate. They’re not necessarily severe enough to scare building owners into immediate action. People know they need to file, but before making large
mannpublications.com