NYC Local Law 87: Energy Audits & Retro-Commissioning

New York City’s Local Law 87 (LL87) requires buildings over 50,000 square feet to conduct an energy audit and retro-commissioning study of their property’s building base systems every ten years. Building base systems refers to your building’s systems that impact energy consumption and includes HVAC, the building envelope, conveying systems, domestic hot water systems, electrical systems, and lighting systems. In addition to Local Law 84 and Local Law 33 (LL84/LL33), LL87 is intended to improve the efficiency of the city’s largest buildings by providing a clear understanding of your building’s energy performance and promoting the transition to cleaner, higher-efficiency buildings.

To comply with LL87, you must file an Energy Efficiency Report (EER) with the Department of Buildings (DOB) and complete all work related to the implementation of your building’s energy audit and retro-commissioning study by December 31st of your filing year. Your EER must be prepared by a licensed engineer and will be based on findings of the energy audit and retro-commissioning study.

As a part of your EER, engineers survey all heating and cooling systems within your building, once during heating season and once during cooling season. The engineer’s findings will be referenced in your building’s retro-commissioning study to recommend retrofit measures.

Completing the required elements of LL87 compliance for your building can be a time-intensive process. Metro Group recommends that you plan ahead of your filing year to ensure compliance.

Your building’s initial due date for LL87 filing is based on the last digit of your property’s tax block number, as shown below. December 31, 2024, is the deadline for compliance with LL87 for buildings whose tax block number ends in the number “4”.

Metro Group is here to provide a turnkey energy audits and retro-commissioning service that includes guiding you through Local Law 87 compliance, connecting you with a licensed engineer, implementing recommended retrofits, and ensuring that your EER is submitted ahead of your filing deadline.

Metro Group can also help customize and implement a decarbonized plan and energy upgrades to ensure your building complies with New York Local Law 97 (LL97).