Local Law · Energy & water
Benchmarking: Local Law 84
Every year, large NYC buildings must report how much energy and water they used through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. It’s a modest task on its own — but it produces your public energy grade and feeds the emissions number behind Local Law 97.
What benchmarking requires
Local Law 84 (as expanded by Local Law 133) requires owners of buildings over 25,000 square feet to benchmark their annual energy and water use — entering 12 months of utility data into the EPA’s free ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool and submitting it to the City by May 1 each year.
Two reasons it matters more than the small fine suggests:
- Your benchmarking data is the basis for your building’s public energy efficiency grade (the A–F letter posted near the entrance).
- The emissions figure in your benchmarking report is the number that drives your Local Law 97 exposure. Garbage in, penalty out.
How to comply
- Set up a Portfolio Manager property with the correct gross floor area and primary use type.
- Get whole-building utility data — request aggregated data from Con Edison / National Grid where individual tenant meters make this hard.
- Enter a full 12 months for the prior calendar year and resolve any data-quality alerts.
- Submit to the City by May 1 and keep the confirmation.
Common mistakes
- Wrong gross floor area or use type — which distorts both your grade and your LL97 number.
- Gaps or estimated meter data that inflate reported emissions.
- Filing late — the penalty accrues quarterly.
Reviewed against current NYC agency guidance by the NYC Building Compliance editorial team. Found something out of date? Tell us. Informational only — not legal or engineering advice.
Frequently asked questions
Who has to benchmark energy use in NYC?
Owners of buildings over 25,000 gross square feet, under Local Law 84/133. Data is submitted through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager by May 1 each year.
What is the penalty for not benchmarking?
$500 per quarter for failing to benchmark, up to $2,000 per year.
How does benchmarking relate to Local Law 97?
The emissions figure produced by benchmarking is the basis for your Local Law 97 emissions and any penalty. Accurate benchmarking is the first step to controlling your LL97 exposure.
Need help handling this?
Tell us about your building and we’ll connect you with a benchmarking consultant who works on NYC compliance — no cost to ask.
Get connected →NYC Building Compliance is an independent resource, not a law or engineering firm. We help owners and managers find the right professional.
Benchmarking feeds Local Law 97 — see your LL97 cap and penalty next.
Open the LL97 calculator →Primary sources
NYC Building Compliance is an independent resource, not the City of New York. Rules and dollar amounts change — always confirm against the official pages above or a licensed professional before acting.