LL97 Carbon Emissions Compliance for NYC Buildings

Local Law 97 sets annual greenhouse gas emissions limits for most New York City buildings over 25,000 gross square feet. Owners must file an annual emissions report, certified by a registered design professional, showing whether the building is within its limit.

Benchmarking.NYC coordinates the emissions calculation, the compliance pathway review, and the annual report filing needed for LL97.

Our goal is to help owners understand their building's emissions position in the current compliance period, file accurately, and plan for the stricter limits that begin in 2030.

What Is LL97?

Local Law 97 is part of the Climate Mobilization Act of 2019. It gives each covered building an emissions limit based on its floor area and occupancy groups, measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per square foot per year. The first compliance period runs from 2024 through 2029, and significantly lower limits apply from 2030 through 2034, with further reductions after that.

Each year's emissions report covers the previous calendar year, is due by May 1, and must be certified by a registered design professional. Buildings that exceed their limit face penalties calculated per metric ton of emissions above it. Certain buildings, including some rent-regulated and affordable housing, follow alternative compliance pathways such as prescriptive energy conservation measures.

What Is Included?

Our LL97 service may include:

• Confirmation of covered status and the applicable compliance pathway
• Calculation of the building's emissions limit by occupancy group
• Calculation of actual annual emissions from benchmarking and utility data
• Gap analysis against the 2024–2029 and 2030–2034 limits
• Review of potential penalty exposure
• Modeling of efficiency, electrification, and fuel-switching measures
• Coordination of registered design professional certification
• Preparation and submission of the annual emissions report
• Guidance on available adjustments and alternative pathways
• Capital planning support aligned with LL87 findings

Why Is This Service Important?

LL97 penalties grow with every ton of emissions above the limit, and because the limits tighten sharply in 2030, a building that complies today may face significant exposure later. A missed or inaccurate emissions report can also lead to penalties regardless of the building's actual emissions.

Early, accurate analysis gives owners time to sequence upgrades with equipment replacement cycles instead of paying penalties or making rushed capital decisions.

Our Service Is Designed For:

• Property owners
• Managing agents
• Co-op and condo boards
• Commercial landlords
• Developers
• Portfolio and asset managers
• Engineers and architects
• Facilities teams
• Owners planning capital improvements

Why Choose Benchmarking.NYC?

Benchmarking.NYC connects LL97 compliance to the data and audits that already exist for the building. We build the emissions calculation from verified LL84 data and LL87 findings, so the annual report, the penalty estimate, and the capital plan all rest on the same numbers.

We coordinate the calculation, the registered design professional certification, and the filing, and help owners plan for 2030 before the stricter limits take effect.