Plot Twist: NYC Pushes LL97 Deadline to New Year's Eve

With the June 30 reporting deadline for Local Law 97 just days away, the Department of Buildings is giving building owners more time to file. By submitting an extension request before Aug. 29, boards can extend their filing deadline to Dec. 31, 2025. This follows a previous deadline extension that pushed out filing until Aug. 29, 2025 to those who requested it through the city’s BEAM (Building Energy Analysis Manager) reporting portal.

The update also impacts Local Law 88, which requires lighting upgrades and submetering, for many buildings. If your building needs to file both a LL97 and LL88 report the filing extension will push the deadline to Dec. 31, 2025 for both reports. If your building only needs to file a LL88 report, the June 30, 2025 deadline stays the same. “These extensions offer valuable time, but only if building decision-makers understand which deadlines apply and what’s required,” says Peter Varsalona, principal at Rand Engineering and Architecture.

The filing deadline for Local Law 84 requiring buildings to annually assess the efficiency of their energy and water consumption remains unchanged, with reports due June 30 or, and for buildings receiving a Local Law 97 extension, Aug. 29, 2025. Extensions are available by submitting a request through BEAM and paying a filing fee. The extensions are especially beneficial for buildings where alterations are underway and lighting upgrades are part of a larger project. “They are giving boards just enough time to hopefully avoid penalties while they finish work or compile the documentation needed to file,” Varsalona says.

The extensions are also helpful to co-ops and condos with commercial space where LL88 compliance requires coordinating with tenants. Varsalona says there’s still some confusion around the lighting and submetering requirements. “Some boards assume that if they’ve swapped in LED bulbs they’re in compliance, but the law actually requires permanent fixture upgrades and lighting controls in common and commercial areas,” he explains.

The good news is that only 6% of multifamily buildings exceed the 2024-2029 mandated emission thresholds, so the majority are in compliance. However, compliance in 2030 and beyond will be more of a challenge, particularly for older buildings with gas or oil-fired steam systems. With that in mind, the Urban Green Council now has an interactive Local Law 97 action steps tool to help co-op boards with energy efficiency planning. Adam Schiabor, Urban Green Council’s associate director of research, says the goal is to “provide guidance on a near-term actionable approach to 2030 compliance.”

Designed as an interactive webpage, the tool poses three short questions about your building. Depending on the answers given, you will receive a tailored set of energy efficiency recommendations and cost estimates. “These cost-effective and impactful steps can be feasibly implemented by a building that is just getting started now,” Schiabor says.

For boards that got a late start on reducing emissions, the advice from Urban Green Council is to pursue energy efficiency first. “These are typically ‘no regrets’ upgrades that will get many buildings into compliance through 2034,” Schiabor says. This includes installing temperature sensors and controls to optimize heating efficiency. Smart control systems, often referred to as building management systems or BMS, can both reduce fuel use and generate utility savings. Another option is to ensure steam traps and vents are in good condition so heat moves efficiently throughout the building.

The tool allows boards to connect with a consultant who can provide information about the rebates and incentives available for necessary upgrades. For buildings looking beyond efficiency, information is provided about solar installations and opportunities around electric heat pumps. A new generation of mini-split heat pumps for windows is allowing buildings to road test the technology in just some apartments to see if full-electrification might be the right move for the entire building. There may be benefits for buildings declaring an interest in individual heat pumps. “If we can get enough traction we can hopefully work with the utilities to get more funding and support for this type of solution,” Schiabor says.