Benchmarking and Energy Grading Requirements

Property owners or managers can get assistance with questions or violations related to the Local Law 84 (LL 84) Benchmark requirement to report their buildings' annual energy and water consumption.

The Benchmark requirement requires owners of large buildings to annually measure and report their energy consumption through a process called benchmarking. These building owners must use the Environmental Protection Agency's online Portfolio Manager to create the report.

The report deadline is May 1 each year. Failure to benchmark by May 1 will result in a violation and financial penalty.

To report a building not posting its energy efficiency rating, send an email to: sustainability@buildings.nyc.gov.

NYC Benchmarking Law

The NYC Benchmarking Law, Local Law 84 of 2009 as amended, requires certain buildings to annually assess the efficiency of their building's energy and water consumption.

The NYC Benchmarking Law standardizes the benchmarking process by requiring building owners to submit their annual energy use in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) online benchmarking tool, Energy Star Portfolio Manager (ESPM), by May 1 of every year.

Covered Buildings

Covered buildings are those that appear in the records of the Department of Finance (DOF) as:
1.    A building that exceeds 25,000 gross square feet (2323 m²) 
2.    Two or more buildings on the same tax lot that together exceed 100,000 gross square feet (9290 m²) 
3.    Two or more buildings held in the condominium form of ownership that are governed by the same board of managers and that together exceed 100,000 gross square feet (9290 m²), or 
4.    A City building.

NYC Energy Grading Law

The NYC Energy Grading Law, Local Law 33 of 2018 as amended requires certain buildings to post energy efficiency scores and grades. These energy efficiency scores and grades are assigned and disclosed annually in accordance with §28-309.12 of the NYC Administrative Code, based on benchmarking reporting consistent with Federal energy efficiency standards.

A – score is equal to or greater than 85; 
B – score is equal to or greater than 70 but less than 85; 
C – score is equal to or greater than 55 but less than 70; 
D – score is less than 55; 
F – for buildings that didn’t submit required benchmarking information; 
N – for buildings exempted from benchmarking or not covered by the Energy Star program.

Learn more about benchmarking and energy grading online on the Department of Buildings (DOB) website, email the DOB, or call the Sustainability Help Center, for more information.

Online

Learn more about benchmarking.

Learn more about energy grading.

Email

Send an email to sustainability@buildings.nyc.gov.

By Phone

  • Agency: Department of Buildings
  • Division: Benchmarking Help Center
  • Phone Number: (212) 566-5584
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM

Energy Efficiency Rating Not Posted

To report a building not posting its energy efficiency rating, send an email to: sustainability@buildings.nyc.gov.

The Benchmark Local Law 84 (LL 84) requires that all City and private buildings greater than 50,000 gross square feet, or buildings on one tax lot that together exceed 100,000 gross square feet, provide energy data use for the building for the prior 12-month calendar year.

Buildings which must comply with this requirement are determined based on Department of Finance records. To comply with the Benchmark requirement, building owners must complete an online "NYC LL84 Benchmarking [Year] Compliance Report" each year by using a free online tool called Portfolio Manager. 

The deadline each year for completing the Benchmarking requirement is May 1.

You can get more information about LL 84, including:

  • Proposed Rule
  • Summary of the Law
  • Information on using Portfolio Manager, the online reporting tool
  • Guidelines on the energy use data that building owners will need to gather and how to enter this energy use data
  • Template to enter energy use data for NYC buildings
  • Web-link to release the energy use data to the City
  • List of buildings required to benchmark

Learn more about LL 84 Benchmarking.

You can contact the Department of Buildings if you have additional questions about the benchmark requirement. Email your questions to sustainability@buildings.nyc.gov.

Property owners or managers can get information or request assistance with LL 84 building energy usage reporting requirements or violations.

To request assistance, email the Department of Buildings (DOB) at sustainability@buildings.nyc.gov.

Get assistance with complying with Benchmarking requirements.

Learn about Benchmarking deadlines and violations.

Challenge a Benchmarking Violation

DOB accepts challenges to violations issued for failure to comply with the Benchmarking requirement. Building owners can challenge the violation within 30 days from the violation date.

Submit a challenge to a Benchmarking violation.

Benchmarking Help Center

You can get information, assistance, and answers to questions about NYC Local Law 84 (LL84) of 2009 through the New York City Benchmarking Help Center. The Center's goal is to help New York City increase compliance, improve data accuracy, and assist new building owners to benchmark, enabling New Yorkers to use energy and water responsibly and prepare for a more sustainable future.

Benchmarking energy and water usage plays an important role in the Greener, Greater Buildings Program, by helping building owners to see how their building’s energy and water performance compares to usage in other buildings, and providing year over year comparisons that can show the benefits of energy-saving changes made.

You can contact the Benchmarking Help Center for more information and assistance.

Online

Visit the Benchmarking Help Center website.

Get assistance with complying with Benchmarking requirements.

You can also send an email to questions@benchmarkinghelpcenter.org.

By Phone

  • Agency: Department of Buildings
  • Division: Benchmarking Help Center
  • Phone Number: (212) 566-5584
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM

Greener, Greater Buildings Program Digest

For updates on Benchmarking (LL 84), subscribe to the Greener, Greater Buildings Program (GGBP) Digest by sending an email to ggbpdigest@cityhall.nyc.gov. Put "subscribe" in the subject line.

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