Local Law 84 of NYC mandates owners of buildings larger than 50,000 square feet to annually measure their energy and water consumption through a process called benchmarking.
Building owners are required to use the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) online benchmarking tool, Energy Star Portfolio Manager®, to enter and submit the usage data to the City.
The deadline for submitting benchmarking data is May 1 of every year. Once you have submitted a satisfactory report by the deadline, there is no additional responsibility until the following year.
If you do not submit a report by May 1, you may aim for the next quarterly deadline of August 1. Subsequent deadlines are November 1 and February 1 of the following year.
The annual benchmarking compliance process consists of the following steps:
Failure to benchmark will result in a DOB violation and a penalty of $500. Continued failure to benchmark by subsequent deadlines of August 1, November 1, and February 1 will result in additional violations on a quarterly basis and a penalty of $500 per quarter with a maximum of $2,000 per year.
| Deadline | Penalty |
| May 1 | $500 |
| August 1 | $500 |
| November 1 | $500 |
| February 1 (of the following year) | $500 |
Building owners need to report energy usage data, along with specific building information. For water use, benchmarking results will be uploaded by the Department of Environmental Protection for all buildings equipped by the DEP with automatic water meters for the full previous year.
Building owners can hire a representative and seek assistance from qualified professionals, such as energy consultants or engineers, who are experienced in Local Law 84 compliance. Additional resources and guidelines are available on the NYC.gov website.
In some cases, extensions may be available. Building owners should contact the relevant authorities to inquire about extension possibilities and requirements.
