How we estimate Local Law 97 penalties
Every number on this site comes from three public inputs and the arithmetic in the law. Nothing is modeled or guessed beyond what is listed here.
Inputs
- Each building's Local Law 84 energy benchmarking filing, from NYC Open Data (latest reporting year 2024).
- The emissions factors and limits in Local Law 97 of 2019.
- The $268 per tCO2e penalty in the Department of Buildings enforcement guide.
Energy efficiency
The ENERGY STAR score and energy use per square foot come from the same Local Law 84 filing. We group scores into the city's four bands (A 85 to 100, B 70 to 84, C 55 to 69, D 0 to 54). That grouping is our reading of the published bands, and the city's official grade may differ. Buildings without a score show no efficiency section.
Arithmetic
- Emitted tCO2e = sum of annual energy use × emissions factor.
- Limit = sum of use floor area × limit per square foot.
- Penalty = (emitted − limit) × $268, when positive.
Emissions factors
| Source | 2024–2029 | 2030–2034 |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity (per kWh) | 0.000289 | 0.000145 |
| Natural gas (per kBtu) | 0.000053 | 0.000053 |
| Fuel oil #2 (per kBtu) | 0.000074 | 0.000074 |
| Fuel oil #4 (per kBtu) | 0.000075 | 0.000075 |
| District steam (per kBtu) | 0.000045 | 0.000043 |
* Not yet verified against the city rule (1 RCNY 103-14). Estimates that rely on it are labeled as such.
Property types currently estimated
We estimate a building only when every listed use maps to a Local Law 97 occupancy group. Types we have not mapped are not estimated.
- Hospital (General Medical And Surgical)
- Hotel
- Multifamily Housing
- Office
What this does not do
- It does not decide which compliance pathway applies.
- It does not include adjustments, deductions or exemptions granted by the city.
- It reuses the filing's reported energy, which owners self-report and can get wrong.
- It assumes energy use stays the same in 2030.