NYC’s Benchmarking, Auditing, and Retrocommissioning Requirements

Pathway: Cross-Cutting Approaches to Reducing Emissions → Behavior → Building Energy Audits

Pathway: Energy Efficiency, Conservation, and Fuel Switching in Buildings and Industry → Existing Buildings → Requiring Energy Audits and Benchmarking

Pathway: Energy Efficiency, Conservation, and Fuel Switching in Buildings and Industry → New Buildings → Energy Use Benchmarking and Auditing

Jurisdiction: Local Governments

NYC Local Laws 133 (2016), 33 (2018), and 87 (2009) establish benchmarking, auditing, and retrocommissioning requirements for buildings in the city.

NYC’s Local Law 133 (2016) requires owners of large buildings to annually measure their energy and water consumption, using EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager, and use the tool to submit data to the City. This data informs building owners about a building’s energy and water consumption compared to similar buildings, and tracks progress year over year to help in energy efficiency planning.

NYC’s Local Law 33 (2018) amended the city’s Administrative Code in relation to energy efficiency scores and grades for buildings required to benchmark their energy and water consumption.

NYC’s Local Law 87 (2009) requires buildings greater than 50,000 square feet to undergo energy audit and retro-commissioning (testing and re-tuning of systems in an existing building to improve energy efficiency) measures every 10 years.