Updated for 2025 — Local Law 85 (LL85), also known as the New York City Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC) Law, requires all buildings undergoing renovation, alteration, or new construction to comply with the latest local energy code standards. As part of the city’s Greener, Greater Buildings Plan, LL85 ensures that every permitted construction project actively contributes to NYC’s long-term sustainability goals.
If you’re planning a renovation or filing for a building permit in 2025, your project must meet NYCECC requirements—regardless of building size.
What Is Local Law 85?
Local Law 85, passed in 2009, established NYC’s first local energy code, empowering the city to go beyond state requirements and enforce its own higher-efficiency standards. LL85 integrates with the broader NYCECC, which is updated periodically to align with technological improvements and NYC’s carbon reduction targets.
Under LL85, any building system or component being replaced, added, or altered—including lighting, HVAC, insulation, or envelope features—must meet or exceed the NYCECC standard in effect at the time of the permit filing.
Who Must Comply with LL85?
LL85 applies to:
- All new construction projects in New York City
- All alterations or renovations requiring a permit, regardless of building size
- All building types, including commercial, institutional, industrial, and residential
Unlike LL84, LL87, and LL97, LL85 does not have a minimum square footage threshold—even minor interior projects can trigger compliance.
Compliance Timeline for 2025
- Ongoing – LL85 applies to all permit applications filed through DOB NOW or BIS
- 2025 – Compliance must reflect the most recent version of the NYC Energy Conservation Code
- NYCECC updates are typically adopted on a three-year cycle, with interim updates issued as needed
Contractors, architects, and engineers must ensure that all submitted plans include energy code documentation and analysis demonstrating compliance.
Key Requirements of LL85
To remain compliant with LL85, building owners and project teams must:
Use the latest version of the NYCECC
Project plans must meet the code version in effect at the time of filing, including all insulation, lighting, envelope, and mechanical efficiency standards.
Submit energy analysis documentation
All filings must include one of the following:
- COMcheck / REScheck documentation
- Energy modeling results
- NYCECC tabular analysis (often required for larger or complex projects)
Coordinate across disciplines
Compliance often requires close coordination between architectural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) teams to ensure all systems meet code standards.
Undergo energy code plan review
The Department of Buildings will review construction documents for NYCECC compliance before issuing permits. Some projects may also be subject to audit or field inspection.
Why LL85 Matters
Unlike benchmarking or emissions caps, LL85 enforces compliance at the point of design and construction—making it one of the most immediate ways to reduce building energy usage citywide. It ensures that:
- Energy efficiency is baked into every renovation or new build
- Systems installed today don’t become tomorrow’s liabilities
- Buildings move closer to compliance with LL97’s long-term carbon targets
Non-compliance can result in permit delays, DOB objections, and stop-work orders—not to mention future energy penalties from inefficient design.
How Benchmarking.NYC Can Help
At Benchmarking.NYC, we support LL85 compliance by:
- Coordinating with architects and MEP engineers to align with NYCECC
- Reviewing construction documents for energy code alignment
- Supporting DOB objections and resubmissions
- Identifying potential exemptions
- Helping you prepare energy analysis documents that pass review the first time
We help ensure your energy code compliance is smooth, accurate, and aligned with your project timeline.
Benchmarking.NYC 