Sustainability

Nearly 80 percent of our citywide emissions are attributed to buildings’ energy use. Many new sustainable technologies have recently come to the marketplace that help offset these emissions, increase a building’s efficiency, decrease energy dependence, and reduce costs for homeowners. Here you will find resources that review these technologies, describe the benefits they offer, and explain how they can be used within New York City.

NOTE: The effective date for the 2016 NYC Energy Conservation Code was October 3rd, 2016.

UPDATE: Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting

Local Law 97 of 2019, passed by the City Council as part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Green New Deal, is an unprecedented commitment to increase the sustainability of buildings, the single-largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in New York City. The law became effective on November 15, 2019.

Local Law 97 will further the goal of achieving a 40 percent reduction in aggregate greenhouse gas emissions from covered buildings by calendar year 2030 and net zero by 2050.

Local Law 97 Covered Buildings

The square footage of a building, as it appears in the records of the Department of Finance, determines whether a building may be subject to Local Law 97 (LL97).

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 above.

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 in 2025 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) below 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.

Preliminary Covered Buildings Lists (CBLs)

The preliminary covered buildings lists (CBLs) that reflect the Department’s records for each building’s compliance requirements under LL97 are viewable below. The presence or absence of any property on any of these CBLs cannot be construed to relieve a building owner from compliance with LL97 or any other applicable law.

These lists have been compiled using preliminary data and are subject to change due to:

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

These lists are intended only as a reference for building owners to consider in consultation with legal representatives and RDPs.

Instructions for challenging a building’s inclusion or exclusion from the CBL are below.

The Covered Buildings Lists (CBLs):

  1. All properties subject to Local Law 97
    If a building appears on this list and does not appear on any of the other lists, the building is subject to Article 320 of Local Law 97 beginning January 1, 2024, with the first report due May 1, 2025.
    LL97 All Properties CBL (pdf)
    LL97 All Properties CBL (Excel)
  2. Properties subject to Article 320 pursuant to § 28-320.3.10.1 (2026 Rent Regulated Properties)
    If an address appears on this list, there may be at least one building on the BBL subject to LL97 beginning January 1, 2026, with the first report due May 1, 2027.
    LL97 2026 Rent Regulated (§ 28-320.3.10) CBL (pdf)
    LL97 2026 Rent Regulated (§ 28-320.3.10) CBL (Excel)
  3. Properties subject to Article 320 pursuant to § 28-320.3.9 (2035 Income Restricted Properties)
    If an address appears on this list, there may be at least one building on the BBL subject to LL97 beginning January 1, 2035, with the first report due May 1, 2036.
    LL97 2035 Income Restricted (§ 28-320.3.9) CBL (pdf)
    LL97 2035 Income Restricted (§ 28-320.3.9) CBL (Excel)
  4. Properties that are subject to Article 321 (Certain Categories of Affordable Housing and Houses of Worship)
    If an address appears on this list, there may be at least one building on the BBL subject to the alternative compliance requirements of Article 321 of Title 28 of the NYC Administrative Code, including a one-time report due May 1, 2025.
    LL97 Article 321 CBL (pdf)
    LL97 Article 321 CBL (Excel)

Note:

Changes in building status can result in a change to the building’s LL97 compliance requirements.

DOB strongly encourages building owners to work with an RDP to confirm the building’s compliance path pursuant to the law.

Exceptions

Certain buildings are not required to comply with Local Law 97. These include industrial buildings, such as utilities, that primarily produce electrical power or steam, and detached or semi-detached buildings of three stories or less where each owner owns and maintains their own HVAC and hot water systems that serve spaces of 25,000 square feet or less.

If you believe your property qualifies for an exception, email: ghgemissions@buildings.nyc.gov with subject line: CBL Exception. Please include the following in the email:

  • BBL and BIN for such building
  • contact information: name, email address or/and telephone number
  • explanation of your exception and RDP certification if applicable

Disputes

If you believe your property is erroneously listed on the CBL due to the square footage of your building, contact the Department of Finance at sustainablebuildings@finance.nyc.gov. Please include the following in the email:

  • borough, block, and lot number of the building
  • contact information: name, email address or/and telephone number
  • explanation of your dispute

If you believe your property is erroneously listed on the CBL due to a characteristic of the building other than the square footage, email ghgemissions@buildings.nyc.gov with subject line: CBL Dispute. Please include the following in the email:

  • BBL and BIN for such building
  • contact information: name, email address or/and telephone number
  • explanation of your dispute and RDP certification if applicable

Get additional information on Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting.

Please visit our website regularly for updated information. For additional information, on the Department of Buildings’ sustainability efforts, visit our Energy Code page.

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