Are You Ready for the May 1 NYC Local Law 84 and Local Law 97 Reporting Deadlines?

The May 1 reporting deadlines are quickly approaching for the New York City Benchmarking Law (Local Law 84) and New York City Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Law (Local Law 97). Both of these sustainability laws are administered by the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) to track the usage of resources and emissions from buildings that are subject to these requirements. Read on to learn more about how LL84 and LL97 might impact you.

Local Law 84: Benchmarking

Local Law 84 requires covered buildings to report the amounts of energy and water used each year with the goal of reducing consumption and conserving these resources. LL84 reporting requirements apply to buildings including those over 25,000 gross square feet, multiple buildings on the same tax lot whose combined area is over 100,000 gross square feet, and City buildings. Consult the NYC Department of Finance Property Tax Bill search or the DOB Sustainability Law Covered Buildings List 2026 for your property to determine if you are required to submit energy and water usage benchmarking reports for your building(s).

LL84 benchmarking reports must be submitted through a USEPA Energy Star Portfolio Manager account. The LL84 reports support assessments of how buildings measure up in terms of energy and water consumption compared to other similar buildings. This information helps to encourage modifications to building operations and maintenance that will result in more efficient systems that save money and resources in the long run.

Local Law 97: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction

Local Law 97 is part of New York City’s plan to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve air quality. LL97 reporting requirements apply to buildings including those over 25,000 gross square feet and multiple buildings on the same tax lot whose combined area is over 50,000 gross square feet. All building owners should review the information for their property contained in the DOB Sustainability Law Covered Buildings List 2026 (also referenced above) to verify the accuracy of the data and submit correction requests as needed.

Refer to Walden’s 2025 blog for additional details on LL97 reporting requirements. Most privately owned buildings are covered under LL97 Article 320, which requires annual GHG emissions reports to be filed annually by May 1 and certified by a registered design professional.

How Walden Can Help

Walden has been tracking the New York City sustainability laws and can help you comply with the annual LL84 and LL97 reporting requirements. As a Professional Engineering firm, Walden serves as a registered design professional with the ability to complete LL97 reporting activities on behalf of building owners. Contact Walden today at 516-373-7662 for assistance with your energy and water use benchmarking and GHG emissions reports.