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LL97 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction 

In New York City, over two thirds of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from buildings. Local Law 97 of 2019 as amended (LL97) is one of the most ambitious plans for reducing emissions in the nation. Under this groundbreaking law, most buildings over 25,000 square feet are required to meet new GHG emissions limits beginning in 2024, with stricter limits coming into effect in 2030. The goal is to reduce the emissions produced by the City’s largest buildings 40 percent by 2030 and to net zero by 2050.

The online portal for Local Law 97 compliance reports is now open for submissions at nyc.beam-portal.org. Please refer to DOB Service Notice of March 3, 2025. 

For more information on the LL97 reporting process, see the DOB Webinar Series, available under Additional Information & Resources on this page.

Please also see the various user guides for the LL97 filing/reporting process available under the Requirements heading on this webpage.

Covered Buildings

The square footage of a building, as it appears in the records of the NYC Department of Finance (DOF), determines whether a building may be subject to LL97 compliance. LL97 covers:

  1. a building that exceeds 25,000 gross square feet
  2. two or more buildings on the same tax lot that together exceed 50,000 square feet
  3. two or more condominium buildings governed by the same board of managers and that together exceed 50,000 square feet.

Tax lots are identified by a unique number known as a borough-block-and-lot (BBL). There may be multiple buildings on a BBL. A Building Identification Number (BIN) is a unique identifier for each NYC building. LL97 compliance is required for each BIN on a BBL where the buildings together or separately meet the square foot threshold described previously.

Multiple Buildings on a BBL

When the buildings on a BBL together meet the 50,000 sq. ft. threshold, all buildings on the BBL are subject to LL97. However, each building on the BBL must comply with the appropriate requirements for that building.

An individual building may qualify for an exception, meaning that building is not subject to the requirements of that section of the law. Individual buildings on a BBL may be subject to LL97 under Article 320 beginning in 2024, in 2026, or in 2035, and others may be required to demonstrate compliance just one time under Article 321. The square footage of all buildings, regardless of compliance pathway or exception status, contributes to the combined square footage of the buildings on a BBL, but each building is required to demonstrate compliance with its appropriate section of the law.

NOTE: The Covered Buildings Lists (CBLs) provide information at the BBL level, not at the building level. This means that for BBLs with multiple buildings, the CBL does not distinguish which building is subject to a particular compliance pathway.

DOB strongly encourages buildings owners to work with legal representatives and Registered Design Professionals to confirm each building’s compliance requirements under LL97.

Covered Buildings List (CBL)

The preliminary covered buildings list (CBL) reflecting the Department’s records for compliance requirements of each property under LL97 is viewable below. The presence or absence of any property on this CBL cannot be construed to relieve a building owner from compliance with LL97 or any other applicable law.

This list has been compiled using preliminary data and is subject to change due to:

  • circumstances unknown to the Department as certified by a Registered Design Professional (RDP)
  • change of circumstances in a building.

This list is intended only as a reference for building owners to consider in consultation with legal representatives and RDPs.

Violation information can be found on the LL97: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Violations page.

Requirements

LL97 was first enacted in 2019 as part of a package known as the Climate Mobilization Act. The original LL97 text was later modified, but the composite law is still referred to as LL97. The law is made up of Articles, which are primary legislation enacted by the NYC Council, and identify different compliance pathways depending on certain characteristics of a building. The law is supported by agency rules, which are secondary legislation enacted by DOB.

LL97’s Article 320 covers most private buildings with corresponding rule 1 RCNY §103-14.

LL97’s Article 321 covers certain affordable housing and houses of worship with corresponding rule 1 RCNY §103-17.
 
Article 320 requires covered buildings to file a report with the Department by May 1, 2025 detailing their annual GHG emissions and then by May 1 of every year after. The report must be certified by a registered design professional.

Article 321 covered buildings are also required to submit a report of compliance with the Department by May 1, 2025.
 
The Sustainability Bureau has developed guidance for building owners to help them comply with LL97:

Article 320 Information Guide

Article 320 Biofuels Guidance

Article 321 Filing Guide (Templates & Template Instructions)

A list of updates between subsequent versions of the Guides and Templates is available upon request to BEAM_LL97@buildings.nyc.gov with the subject heading "LL97 Guide version changes". 

User Guides  

The following are step-by-step guides for various components of the LL97 reporting process. Additional context for these Guides can be found on the BEAM Knowledgebase.

Webinars 

LL97 Service Provider Series is a webinar series hosted by ASHRAE-NY. You can find the links to slides and video recordings here. Topics include: CBL; calculating emissions; Article 321 Filing Guide; Article 320 Info Guide; Beneficial Electrification; LL88; overview of reporting process; benchmarking; and various compliance paths.

Other LL97 webinars

These have been hosted by organizations such as NYC Accelerator and Urban Green. Links to slides and video recordings are below:

Covered Buildings List Disputes

The "Covered Buildings List (CBL) Disputes" ticket may be used to dispute the inclusion or exclusion of a building on the LL97 CBL. Please consult the CBL Dispute User Guide prior to submitting your dispute.

A Covered Buildings List Dispute may be made for the following reasons:

  1. Your building is listed on the CBL and it shouldn’t be due to the following:
    • Size or the number of buildings on the lot
    • Utility
    • Garden-style apartment
    • City building
    • NYCHA building
    • Demolished building
    • New building
    • Ownership of the building has changed
  1. You need to update your building’s compliance pathway
    • Compliance Pathway 0 – Article 320 beginning 2024
    • Compliance Pathway 1 - Article 320 beginning 2026 (28-320.3.10.1)
    • Compliance Pathway 2 - Article 320 beginning 2035 (28-320.3.9)
      • Mitchell Lama program:
      • Income Restricted via a DOF Tax Exemption
      • Contains at least one unit that is income-restricted through a regulatory agreement with HPD
    • Compliance Pathway 3 - Article 321 One-Time Compliance
  1. Your building is not listed on the CBL and it should be due to the following:
    • Size or the number of buildings on the lot.
    • Your building is on the CBL but you want to update its BIN

Sustainability Incentive and Financing Programs

The NYC Dept. of Buildings and New York City Accelerator maintain a comprehensive list of financial incentives, tax credits, and financing options that can help building owners and managers improve the energy efficiency of their buildings. Click the link to explore these options.

Sustainability Incentive and Financing Programs

Adjustments

Building owners can submit requests for certain adjustments to their building emissions limits pursuant to the law. Owners may submit applications to the Department for adjustments due to external and financial constraints.

Info Guides:

Templates:

Attestation Forms:

320.8 and 320.9 adjustment applications due to excessive emissions and special uses or for not-for-profit healthcare or hospital facilities, have closed as of January 1, 2025.

Deductions & Alternatives for Calculating Building Emissions

Local Law 97 allows for buildings to apply for deductions and alternatives for the following:

Deductions:

  • Offsets (Maximum allowable deduction is 10% of a building’s calculated emissions limit)
  • Distributed Energy Resources (onsite solar, offsite solar, onsite storage or offsite storage)
  • Fuel Cells (Installed before - 1/19/2023)
  • Beneficial Electrification (metered or deemed).
  • Electric vehicle (EV) charger
  • Cell tower

Alternative Coefficients:

  • Shared Energy System (campus style system or campus style electric-system)
  • Time of Use Methodology (Fuel Cells: Post 1/19/2023)
  • Biofuel and Alternative Fuels

Alternative Methodology:

  • Cogeneration

To apply for a deduction or alternative for calculating your property’s emissions please consult the following resources:

 

For more information on RECs see the RECs Frequently Asked Questions and LL97 RECs Policy.

Who can do this work?

Building owners will need to work with a registered design professional, or in limited cases a retro-commissioning agent, to achieve compliance path with the law.

Fees

Filing fee for reporting required upgrades to lighting systems and required installation of electrical sub-meters

$115

Filing fee for annual building emissions reports


  • Simple Reports

$210
  • Complex Reports

$615
  • Extension

$60
  • Good Faith Effort Report

$950

Annual Emission Limits Compliance Reports for Certain Buildings (Rent Regulated Accommodations)


  • Compliance Report

$210
  • Mediated Resolution Reports

$800

Filing fee for application for adjustment to the annual building emissions limit pursuant to 28-320.7


  • External constraints

$3,540
  • Financial constraints 1

$690
  • Financial constraints 2

$300

Contact for Questions

Questions should be submitted to BEAM_LL97@buildings.nyc.gov.

Additional Information & Resources

Helpful Links