Read through all the updates and changes to NYC’s building emissions law.
September 2026
- On September 24, the New York City Council passed legislation to extend and update the J-51 R property tax abatement for eligible building improvements, including upgrades to comply with LL97.
- Urban Green hosted a webinar with NYC Department of Building (DOB) Laura Popa to unpack how buildings met LL97 in its inaugural year. Check out Urban Green’s new analysis with key takeaways from the first year of LL97 reports.
August 2026
- All Year Two LL97 compliance reports are due by August 29.
April 2026
- Urban Green is excited to be a part of the newly revamped NYC Accelerator team with Willdan and seven other local organizations, providing one-on-one guidance to owners navigating LL97 and other building sustainability laws. Visit and request assistance from the NYC Accelerator here.
February 2026
- LL97 Compliance reports reflecting 2025 building emissions are due June 30. Covered building owners can request an extension to August 29 if requested to DOB in writing prior to the June 30 deadline.
December 2025
- All LL97 compliance reports reflecting 2024 building emissions are due December 31, with no exceptions.
June 2025
- DOB issued a Service Notice allowing building owners to apply for an extension to file their 2024 LL97 Reports until December 31, 2025. The notice also specifies LL88 lighting reporting timelines for various circumstances. LL84 benchmarking deadlines remain unchanged—those reports are still due by June 30th, or August 29th for those that received an LL97 extension.
April 2025
- Urban Green hosted a webinar with DOB, HPD and NYCEEC to unpack the new LL97 Offset mechanism and the Affordable Housing Reinvestment Fund.
March 2025
- DOB completed a Sustainability Webinar Series with a comprehensive overview on how to comply with Local Law 97, Local Law 84 and Local Law 88.
December 2024
- On December 20, DOB published the final version of the newest package of rules for Local Law 97.
- DOB released updated compliance submission guidance for the May 1, 2025 reporting deadline.
September 2024
- On September 27, DOB released a new set of proposed rules for LL97. This third major set of rules would create new support for affordable housing retrofits, clarify adjustments for financially constrained buildings, and fill in other provisions required by the law. On October 9, Urban Green hosted a webinar with DOB unpacking the details.
July 2024
- DOB issued the first version of the Article 320 Information Guide, which details reporting guidelines for owners of covered buildings.
June 2024
- DOB made available a template for the documentation of four Prescriptive Energy Conservation Measures (PECMs). The completed template or equivalent must be uploaded for each covered building that follows the PECM compliance pathway by May 1, 2025.
April 2024
- Urban Green published a new analysis unpacking LL97’s new game-changing electrification credit, highlighting how a little electrification today can go a long way for covered buildings.
December 2024
- On December 20, DOB published the final version the newest package of rules for Local Law 97.
September 2024
- On September 27, DOB released a new set of proposed rules for LL97. If adopted, this third major set of rules will create new support for affordable housing retrofits, clarify adjustments for financially constrained buildings, and fill in other provisions required by the law. On October 9, we hosted a webinar with DOB unpacking the details.
July 2024
- DOB issued the first version of the Article 320 Information Guide, which details reporting guidelines for owners of covered buildings.
June 2024
- DOB made available a template for the documentation of four Prescriptive Energy Conservation Measures (PECMs). The completed template or equivalent must be uploaded for each covered building that follows the PECM compliance pathway by May 1, 2025.
April 2024
- Urban Green published a new analysis unpacking LL97’s new game-changing electrification credit, highlighting how a little electrification today can go a long way for covered buildings.
December 2023
- On December 18, DOB finalized the second package of rules for Local Law 97. This rulemaking offers a new credit for beneficial electrification, defines “good faith” criteria for determining mitigated penalties, gives clarity to buildings that must meet the law’s prescriptive path, and provides details for Local Law 88 lighting and submetering requirements. Read the press release.
- DOB also issued a detailed Article 321 Filing Guide for prescriptive path buildings and new preliminary LL97 Covered Buildings Lists for the various compliance pathways.
September 2023
- On September 12, DOB released a new set of proposed rules for Local Law 97. The package clarifies key remaining details on compliance and is a major step toward full implementation of the law. Watch our webinar on the proposed rules with DOB here.
December 2022
- Following 300+ Advisory Board and Working Group meetings with 100+ stakeholders, the Local Law 97 Advisory Board Report was delivered to DOB and includes a comprehensive set of recommendations that will inform final rulemaking on the law.
- NYC DOB finalized Rule 103-14 for Local Law 97. It specifies details on property types, 2030’s electricity carbon coefficient, emissions limits for later compliance periods, renewable energy credits, and guidance for technical compliance.
- On December 15, Laura Popa, Deputy Commissioner for Sustainability at DOB, joined us on Urban Green Live to talk about the new Bureau of Sustainability, the latest on the Local Law 97 Rules, and what comes next.
October 2022
- On October 6, the NYC Department of Buildings released proposed rules for Local Law 97 that answer many remaining questions about the law’s requirements through 2050. Here are Five Things to Know About the Proposed Rules, and watch our webinar with DOB here.
- The Department of Buildings has released a LL97 Covered Buildings List, detailing all of the properties in NYC that may be required to comply with Local Law 97, and will be updated annually.
June 2022
- NYC Council approved a budget that includes $2.4 million for the DOB Office of Building Energy Emissions Performance to oversee the implementation of Local Law 97.
November 2021
- On November 15, NYU published Carbon Trading for NYC’s Building Sector. The study is required by LL97 and examines the environmental justice impact of adding a trading program to the law. Read the press release and watch our event Unpacking the LL97 Carbon Trading Study.
October 2021
- The DOB issued a bulletin clarifying that energy used to charge plug-in electric vehicles won’t be included in emissions from buildings under Local Law 97.
- NYC released clarification on the guidelines for certain types of affordable housing.
April 2021
- On April 12, the Department of Buildings began accepting applications for adjustments to a building’s 2024-2029 annual carbon limits. The deadline to apply for buildings with high emissions intensities, non-profit hospitals and healthcare facilities has passed. A recent DOB bulletin clarifies their adjustment rules. Full guidelines for adjustments can be found in DOB’s technical filing guide, along with an Excel workbook that outlines calculations and documentation.
- The Department of Buildings has launched a Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting website with helpful instructions for those looking to clarify the details of Local Law 97.
November 2020
- An amendment signed in November 2020 now requires covered buildings with 35 percent or fewer rent-regulated units to meet the law’s carbon caps starting in 2026. Originally, a covered building with one or more rent-regulated units could choose to follow Article 321 prescriptive measures instead of meeting the caps. Buildings with more than 35 percent rent-regulated units can still choose the prescriptive path. The expansion aligns with the State’s new rent laws and increases the impact of Local Law 97.
June 2020
- Urban Green was appointed to the Advisory Board’s Carbon Accounting Working Group and Communications Working Group.
December 2019
- In December 2019, the City appointed a 16-member Climate Advisory Board, which then created eight Climate Working Groups to develop recommendations on aspects of the law left to rulemaking.
- City Council passed technical amendments to LL97 under Local Law 147 of 2019 and Local Law 95 of 2020, including:
- Clarification that the Department of Buildings can revise 2030 standards by rule, including using a different metric, provided it achieves the same overall carbon reductions;
- Carbon emissions from electricity can now be based on time of use;
- Credits for GHG offsets and energy storage may extend to later compliance periods;
- Some previously exempt affordable housing must now comply with the prescriptive package of low-cost energy savings measures;
- Revisions to the treatment of natural gas fuel cells.