Complying with LL84: Part Two – Benchmarking on your own

The Network has been looking into what it takes to comply with Local Law 84, a new NYC regulation requiring owners to benchmark their buildings that are over 50,000 square feet. Benchmarking is a great way to learn more about your building and alert you to energy waste, but the process can be complex. View our previous coverage of LL84 , or read on to learn the basics of complying with the law without using a consultant – how to determine whether you have the capacity to comply in-house, what challenges you  might run into and what trainings and resources exist to help you along the way.

Part Two: Benchmarking on your own

The Greener, Greater Buildings Plan specifies that benchmarking must be done using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Portfolio Manager, an online tool that lets owners fill in information about their buildings – including utility bill data and characteristics of the building. To comply with LL84, you must access the Portfolio Manager tool through a special portal from the NYC Department of Buildings website. That way, the submitted building information will be forwarded to the City for compliance. You will also be sent a report based on your building utility usage and characteristics; the report will “normalize” your building’s energy use to account for its size and climate.