Building Emissions Calculator for Local Law 97

This calculator is designed to estimate the carbon emissions penalty for your building under Local Law 97. You will be prompted to provide the area (in square feet) and property type of your building/space along with the usage of various energy sources including electricity, natural gas, steam, and #2 and #4 fuel oil.

Based on the information provided, the calculator will estimate the following:

• Your building’s carbon emissions
• Annual penalties under Local Law 97
• Estimated annual energy costs
• The total of your energy costs and Local Law 97 penalties

These estimates will be provided for three penalty periods: 2024-2029, 2030-2034, and 2035-2039. The emissions factor for each property type is published by the NYC Department of Buildings. You can view the official document through this link.

Instructions

1. Enter your building’s area in square feet and select the property type.
2. If your building has multiple occupancy classifications, specify each with the corresponding area.
3. Input your annual energy consumption by source: electricity (kWh), natural gas (therms), #2 fuel oil (gallons), and steam (Mlb). Leave the consumption value blank if an energy source is not used.
4. The calculator uses default energy prices, but you can enter the actual prices charged to the building.

Based on this information, the calculator will estimate your annual energy costs and Local Law 97 penalties for each penalty period. It will also provide the building’s annual carbon emissions and energy costs per square foot. Building emissions are calculated in metric tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e).

Building Not Regulated (under 25,000 SF)

Local Law 97 applies to the following buildings:

• Buildings over 25,000 gross square feet
• Two or more buildings on the same tax lot that together are over 50,000 gross square feet
• Two or more buildings owned by a condo association that are governed by the same board of managers and that exceed 50,000 gross square feet.
• Visit the NYC Department of Buildings website for additional guidance on covered buildings.

Notes and Clarifications

This calculator is intended to estimate building emissions and Local Law 97 penalties. It is for informational purposes only and is not a compliance tool. Actual emissions may vary based on building conditions and the procedures may change if New York City updates Local Law 97.

Local Law 97 allows for adjustments to the annual building emissions thresholds, including appeals based on special circumstances and critical building uses. These adjustments are not accounted for in the calculator.