Benchmarking · The foundation of every NYC compliance program
Every year, covered NYC buildings must report whole-building energy and water use through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. LL84 data feeds LL33/95 letter grades, LL87 audits, and LL97 emissions accounting.
What LL84 requires
Owners must collect 12 full months of energy (electric, gas, steam, oil) and water consumption for the prior calendar year, enter it into ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, and submit the DOF benchmarking report by May 1.
- Whole-building coverage — including tenant spaces
- Property use details (GFA, occupancy, operating hours)
- Water use where a whole-building meter exists
- Data validation before submission
Why it matters beyond the filing
LL84 data is the single source of truth that every other NYC building law reads. Errors here cascade into an incorrect LL33/95 letter grade, distorted LL97 emissions, and unreliable capital planning models.
Common LL84 issues we find
Roughly 40% of the portfolios we onboard have material benchmarking errors — from missing meters and mis-assigned property use, to double-counted tenant data or utility gaps.
- Missing steam or fuel oil meters
- Incorrect gross floor area or property use type
- Aggregate utility data not requested from ConEd/National Grid
- Estimated bills passed through without correction