Local Laws 84 and 133 (LL84/133), also known as the NYC Benchmarking Laws, require owners of buildings larger than 25,000 square feet to submit their buildings’ yearly energy and water consumption through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, which provides a comparison against other similar buildings. The primary goal is to inform building owners of their property’s energy use, thereby creating a foundation for responsible energy consumption. Below is everything you need to know to comply: 

Building owners must comply with LL84/133 by May 1 of each year (unless otherwise extended by the City during a specified year). 

Owners of buildings larger than 25,000 square feet. To confirm if your property is subject to benchmarking you can consult the Covered Buildings List, which outlines buildings required to comply based on size and type. 

Buildings that do not comply with LL 84/133 will receive quarterly violations in the amount of $500/quarter and up to $2,000 each year for failure to benchmark.  

To ensure accurate information is submitted and avoid costly penalties, it is recommended to work with a Registered Design Professional (RDF), such as a Professional Engineer (PE). The Benchmarking compliance includes the following: 

• Gross Floor Area (GFA) by each property use type 
• Building Space Usage Types 
• Operational Details for each use type 
• Aggregate Energy and Water Consumption 
• Borough Block, and Lot Number (BBL) 
• Building Identification Number (BIN) 

Once the information has been entered into ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, the report is shared with the DOB by the May 1st deadline. 

 Additionally, according to Local Law 33/95 (which falls directly in line with benchmarking efforts), buildings over 25,000 sqft are mandated to publicly display the letter grade reflecting their benchmarking results.  

 The letters must be displayed in a conspicuous location near the building’s public entrances, similar in practice to restaurants presenting their sanitary inspection letters. The grades are assigned based on Energy Star scores:  

• A: 85 or Above 
• B: 70-84 
• C: 55-69 
• D: 1-54 
• F: Buildings that fail to submit required benchmarking information 
• N: Buildings exempted from benchmarking or not covered by the Energy Star Program

Buildings that do not comply with LL 33/95 will receive a penalty of $1,250 per violation.