{"id":1979,"date":"2025-10-03T05:55:25","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T05:55:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecotocongroup.com\/?p=1979"},"modified":"2026-05-15T13:09:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T13:09:53","slug":"energy-benchmarking-improving-building-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecotocongroup.com\/blog\/energy-benchmarking-improving-building-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"Energy Benchmarking – Improving Building Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Energy Benchmarking plays a crucial role in transforming New York City\u2019s built environment toward a more energy-efficient and sustainable future. First introduced in 2009 through NYC Local Law 84, the law requires large buildings to annually measure and report their energy and water consumption. This initiative helps track performance, identify inefficiencies, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions citywide.<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/span>Understanding NYC Local Law 84 and Its Expansion<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n

Under <\/span>Local Law 84<\/span><\/a> (LL84), all buildings over 50,000 square feet must annually submit benchmarking data to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) online tool \u2014 <\/span>ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager<\/span><\/a>. This standardized reporting system allows building owners to analyze their energy use and compare performance with similar properties nationwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2016, Local Law 133 (LL133) expanded this requirement to include buildings between 25,000 and 50,000 square feet, further broadening NYC\u2019s efforts toward energy transparency. Together, LL84 and LL133 provide a complete picture of how NYC\u2019s buildings consume energy, paving the way for informed decision-making and long-term savings.<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/span>Energy Grades and Transparency \u2013 Local Law 33 and Local Law 95<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n

In 2018, the city introduced Local Law 33 (LL33), requiring the posting of Energy Efficiency Scores and Grades at building entrances. These grades are derived from the benchmarking data submitted via the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.<\/span><\/p>\n

Later, Local Law 95 (LL95), enacted in 2019, updated how those grades are assigned based on a building\u2019s ENERGY STAR score:<\/span><\/p>\n