Local Law 84
Local law 84 also known as NYC Benchmarking Law requires owners of large buildings to annually measure their energy and water consumption in a process called benchmarking. The law standardizes this process by requiring building owners to enter their annual energy and water use in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) online tool, ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager® (opens in new window), and use the tool to submit data to the City. This data informs gives building owners about a building’s energy and water consumption compared to similar buildings, and tracks progress year over year to help in energy efficiency planning.
Benchmarking data is also disclosed publicly, analyzed in reports, visualized in the NYC Energy and Water Performance Map, included in energy efficiency policy development efforts such as the Buildings Technical Working Group Final Report, and used to develop free resources such as the NYC Retrofit Accelerator and Community Retrofit NYC to help building owners use less energy and save money.
Starting in 2018, owners of mid-size buildings that are larger than 25,000 sq ft and smaller than 50,000 sq ft will be required to benchmark for the first time. Learn more by reading the NYC Benchmarking Law Frequently Asked Questions.
The annual benchmarking process consists of the following steps:
- Check the Covered Buildings List for your property every year.
- Set up an account in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager® if you do not have one.
- Enter or review building characteristics and uses.
- Collect whole-building energy data (and water data, if required) from utilities.
- Record your energy and water usage in Portfolio Manager®.
- Confirm and enter BBL and BIN information.
- Check your data for errors and completeness.
- Submit usage data to the City by May 1 through Portfolio Manager®.
Building owners are subject to a penalty if usage data is not submitted by May 1 every year.