DOB LL97 Reporting Portal

Local Law 97 (LL97) Compliance Report Submission Process

Summary of Information Needed for the May 1, 2025, reporting deadline

(Updated on February 10, 2025)

Overview

Building Energy Analysis Manager (BEAM) will serve as the reporting portal for LL97, including annual (Article 320) and one-time (Article 321) compliance submissions. BEAM is an online platform that runs on the Standard Energy Efficiency Data (SEED) engine developed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.

As described below, an applicant1 will pay filing fees in DOB NOW and submit energy source data through EPA Energy Star Portfolio Manager (ESPM). Applicants will find DOB NOW and ESPM data populated in BEAM for the LL97 compliance report submission. The LL97 compliance report review process will occur within the BEAM platform, including communication between the Department of Buildings (DOB) and the applicant.

Report Structure Basics

A LL97 compliance report will generally require one submission per building (as identified by a Building Identification Number, or BIN).

In the first compliance period (CY2024-2029), combined reports (multiple buildings submitted together under a single filing fee and registered design professional (RDP) attestation) will be accepted when buildings:

i) Have the same owner; ii) Are on the same lot or adjacent lots; and iii) Follow the same LL97 compliance pathway.

Combined reports must still show separate calculations for each building’s emissions and emissions limit calculations, UNLESS the buildings also share energy service, in which case such buildings’ emissions and emissions limit calculations may be aggregated.

Combined reports are optional if the above-noted conditions are met and are only allowed for the initial (CY2024-29) compliance period.

Reporting Process

A building’s LL97 compliance report will be considered fully submitted after the following steps are completed:

1. DOB NOW registration, fee payment

The Applicant must register for a DOB NOW account if they have not previously done so. LL97 filing fees are paid in DOB NOW in a similar manner as other DOB filing fees. Payment

information is then sent to BEAM by DOB NOW to unlock a building’s reporting functionality. See proposed LL97 Filing Fees Rule for fee amounts, and below for more information on simple and complex reports.

2. ESPM registration

NOTE: This step is only required for Article 320 buildings and buildings complying with Article 321 pursuant to §28-321.2.1 (meeting 2030 emissions limits).

The Applicant must register for ESPM and create a property profile for the building, if one does not already exist for Local Law 84 (LL84) benchmarking purposes. The ESPM profile must be populated as it would pursuant to LL84 requirements, including the building’s Gross Floor Area (GFA) and primary property type.2 The ESPM profile must then be linked to the building’s utility providers. Once linked, utilities automatically upload energy consumption data to ESPM.

3. BEAM registration

The Applicant must register for BEAM using the same credentials (Borough-Block-Lot (BBL), BIN, and email account) used for DOB NOW and ESPM registration. Applicants with multiple buildings will be able to monitor compliance across their portfolio. Applicants can request to add additional email accounts to the BEAM profile and delegate other representatives (such as RDPs and/or RCxAs who may have their own BEAM logins under their license and/or registration numbers).

4. Upload supporting documents in BEAM

a. Article 321 Prescriptive Pathway (§28-321.2.2)

RDPs or RCxAs upload the Prescriptive Energy Conservation Measure (PECM) templates and any supporting documentation (as required in the template) into BEAM. ESPM data is not needed for this compliance pathway.

b. All other LL97 compliance report submissions

i. Determine greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions limits

In BEAM, each BIN that is linked to an ESPM property profile will be automatically populated with its primary property type(s) and total GFA. This GFA number must be verified by an RDP, following the definition of GFA in 1 RCNY §103-14(a).

For buildings with more property types than are listed in ESPM, total GFA should be subdivided among each individual property type and the results manually entered in BEAM.

Specific documentation that the reporting RDP uses to verify GFA is at their discretion and may include, but is not limited to, the following: a dimensioned field survey; visual imaging tools; previously-approved Department drawings or other archival drawings showing scale and overlaid dimensions; condo maps or declarations indicating floor areas for the entire building; and any other method that the RDP attests to be representative of total GFA. The RDP's verification method must align with the required reporting granularity. If property type granularity changes in future reports, the GFA determination approach should be adjusted accordingly. Such documentation should be preserved for at least three years and made available to DOB upon request.

Once entered into BEAM, BEAM will automatically calculate a building’s emissions limit using emissions factors from the current compliance period (CY2024 – 2029).

For buildings submitting compliance reports pursuant to Article 321, §28321.2.1, BEAM will automatically calculate a building’s emissions limit using emissions factors from the 2030 compliance period.

1. Adjusted Limits

Adjustments for 320.8 or 320.9 - For buildings that received a §28-320.8 or §28320.9 adjustment, BEAM will allow the Applicant to indicate the adjustment was received. The Applicant will then input the adjusted limit and the DOB NOW Adjustment Application number. These limits will be validated by DOB during the application review.

Adjustments for 320.7 – §28-320.7 adjustment applications will be submitted in BEAM.

For buildings on the DOF’s annual New York City Tax Lien Sale List, BEAM will allow the Applicant to indicate this.

For all other buildings, such applications require, at a minimum:

1. Annual building emissions report for the prior year certified by RDP
2. Confirmation the building was built prior to 11/15/2019 3. Documentation from NYC Accelerator confirming:
   1. Description of measures to be taken that will result in LL97 compliance
   2. Identified incentives for such work
3. Confirmation the maximum allowable amount of greenhouse gas offsets or renewable energy credits were purchased
4. For External Constraints:
   1. DOB provided template, attested by RDP, describing the conditions of the adjustment and requested adjusted limit with supporting analysis
5. For Financial Constraints:
   1. DOB provided template, attested by certified public accountant, describing financial conditions as indicated in RCNY 103-12 Note: Additional guidance on the Article 320.7 Adjustments is forthcoming.
6. Determine GHG emissions – Simple

“Simple” means that no modifications to the basic formulas and information described below are required.

Emissions are automatically calculated in BEAM using the annual energy consumption data imported from ESPM, and the energy source coefficients provided by LL97.3

For any fuels that are not automatically uploaded by the utility, the Applicant must upload to BEAM supporting documentation to verify the annual fuel consumption.

For blends of biofuel that are recognized in DOB guidance, the fuel manufacturer’s documentation verifying the blend rates and processes must be uploaded to BEAM, along with annual fuel consumption of that fuel.

For any fuel type with coefficients not listed in the law, a Construction Code Determination Form (CCD1) may be submitted for DOB approval by email. The approved CCD1 must be uploaded in BEAM. If a CCD1 was submitted but not yet approved, a copy of the submitted CCD1 must be uploaded in BEAM as supporting documentation and approval of the LL97 report will be contingent upon the CCD1 review. If the CCD1 is rejected, the building’s LL97 report would need to be revised. Note that use of non-standard fuels does not preclude a report from being “simple.”

For buildings that purchased offsets up to a maximum of 10% of their emissions limit, the Applicant must upload to BEAM a copy of that year’s payment receipt and enter the amount of offsets purchased.

Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) are anticipated to become available in 2026 and further guidance will become available.

iv. Determine GHG emissions – Complex:

“Complex” means that additional considerations influence the basic formula, whether by choice or by circumstance, or the Applicant is submitting a combined report for a BBL that contains more than one BIN. Supporting documentation must be submitted to substantiate the additional considerations, some examples of which are listed below:

• Multiple buildings on one lot – Applicant uploads a combined report to BEAM as verified in DOB NOW during the filing fee payment.
• Shared energy service – Applicant must upload to BEAM site plan diagram(s) showing all buildings sharing energy service, including meter locations and fuel types, as indicated in the schematic in the Article 320 Info Guide Section III.C; and supporting annual utility bills.
• GHG coefficients for campus-style systems – Applicant must upload to BEAM the DOB provided template for determining the GHG coefficients for campus-style energy and/or electric systems.
• Time-of-Use (TOU) Methodology – Applicant must upload to BEAM the DOB provided template for calculating hourly emissions coefficients, and hourly utility data reported from the utility.
• Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) – Applicant must upload to BEAM separate metering and reporting for solar and storage systems, including specifications for the equipment, whether credits have been sold, and utility information.
• Beneficial Electrification – Applicant must upload to BEAM the DOB provided template for calculating the deduction; related permit numbers; and installed system specifications,
• Qualified Generation (Cogen) Facilities – Applicant must upload to BEAM equipment specifications, including NOx emissions; metered electricity generation; metered utilized heat; and DOB provided template for calculating the system efficiency.

iv. Unexpected or Unforeseen Event – Buildings that experience an unexpected or unforeseen event as defined by DOB by rule will need to submit proof of the event, including any issued DOB filings or permits related to the event.

5. Attestation

BEAM will assess whether a building is under its calculated emissions limit. After reviewing the assessment, the Applicant must upload a signed attestation by the associated RDP or RCxA, as applicable, that the submitted information is accurate to the best of their knowledge and ability.

6. Departmental review

Following submission of the LL97 Compliance Report, DOB staff will review the reports and documentation within BEAM for clarity, completeness, and compliance using standardized review templates for different applications. DOB staff assigned to the review will provide feedback or comments to the Applicant’s designated team as needed.

For 320.7 Adjustment applications, determination will be made on whether the adjustment was accepted.

There are three possible outcomes following a complete LL97 compliance report submission:

1. Compliant building
2. Non-compliant building, pay penalty
3. Non-compliant building, mediated resolution

This process involves submitting a secondary report that demonstrates an owner’s Good Faith Efforts (GFE) towards compliance. GFE reporting requirements are as specified in RCNY 103-14 and the Article 320 Info Guide.

1. “Applicant” as used throughout this document may include the building owner or the building owner’s authorized

   agent, including designated individuals such as a Registered Design Professional (RDP) and/or RetroCommissioning Agent (RCxA).↩︎

2. More detailed data required for LL97, including additional property types, must be provided in BEAM, NOT in ESPM.↩︎

3. Note: Building owners should not rely on ESPM’s native emissions calculations, which use energy coefficients that are not NYC-specific.↩︎