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How to File LL97 Compliance Report

Updated: 4 days ago

Guidance on how to correctly file your Local Law 97 report.
Guidance on how to correctly file your LL97 report.

The first Local Law 97 (LL97) reporting cycle is fast approaching. The deadline for filing this year’s annual compliance report is May 1, 2025, with a 60-day grace period through June 30, 2025. 


LL97, a key part of the 2019 Climate Mobilization Act, is a law that limits greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for large buildings in NYC. 


As a building owner or property manager, it’s crucial to understand the proper report filing procedures in order to meet LL97 deadlines and calculate your buildings’ emissions limits in the most favorable way.


At Maypole, we understand that the filing process can be overwhelming and convoluted. We’ve broken down the steps to filing an LL97 compliance report below. 


LL97 timeline for submitting reports.
LL97 Timeline for submitting reports. Credit: NYC DOB

Overview  


Building Energy Analysis Manager (BEAM) will serve as the reporting portal for annual and one-time LL97 compliance submissions. BEAM is an online platform that runs on the Standard Energy Efficiency Data (SEED) engine. 


An applicant will pay filing fees in DOB NOW and submit energy source data through EPA Energy Star Portfolio Manager (ESPM). Once these accounts are connected to BEAM, DOB NOW and ESPM data will populate in BEAM for the LL97 compliance report submission.


The compliance report review process, including communication between the DOB and the applicant, will occur within the BEAM platform. 


The filing process cannot be completed in a single day because data only syncs into BEAM overnight. Building owners seeking to apply for an extension to the reporting deadline (until August 29, 2025) must do so in BEAM prior to June 30, 2025. 


Report Structure Basics


An LL97 compliance report generally requires one submission per building, as identified by a Building Identification Number (BIN). 


In the first compliance period (2024-2029), combined reports 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 show separate emissions calculations for each building, unless the buildings also share energy service, in which case building emissions and emissions limits may be aggregated. 


Combined reports are optional if the above conditions are met and are only allowed for the initial (2024-2029) compliance period. 


How to File 


  1. DOB NOW registration, fee payment 

    1. Register for a DOB NOW account if not already registered.

      1. Enter email addresses for the building owner, building owner’s representative, and Registered Design Professional (RDP). 

    2. Pay LL97 filing fees. Payment information will be sent to BEAM by DOB NOW to unlock a building’s reporting functionality. 

    3. Search for your building by BIN and BBL. This information must align with the BIN and BBL on the Covered Buildings List (CBL). 


  1. ESPM registration 

This step is only required for Article 320 buildings and buildings complying with                                       Article 321 (meeting 2030 emissions limits).  

  1. Register for ESPM and create a property profile for the building (if one doesn’t already exist for LL84 benchmarking purposes). 

    1. Register with building owner’s email address, which must be connected to DOB NOW. 

  2. ESPM profile must include the building’s gross floor area (GFA) and primary property type. 

  3. Link ESPM profile to building’s ConEdison account. Energy consumption data will be automatically uploaded to ESPM. 

  4. Connect building’s data with DOB NOW by adding “NYCGOVLL84” as a new connection on ESPM. This is how data will transfer into BEAM. 


  1. BEAM registration 

    1. Register for BEAM using the same credentials (BIN, BBL, and email account) used for DOB NOW and ESPM registration.

    2. Applicants with multiple buildings can monitor compliance across their portfolio. 

    3. Applicants can request to add additional email accounts to the BEAM profile and delegate other representatives, such as RDPs, who may have their own BEAM logins under their license and/or registration numbers. 

      1. (This is useful if applicants have different service providers across their portfolio, or different service providers for benchmarking versus LL97.)

    4. The words “ticket” and "submission" are used interchangeably in BEAM. 


  1. Upload supporting documents in BEAM. 

    1. Determine GHG emissions - Simple 

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

      2. Emissions are calculated in BEAM using data imported from ESPM and energy source coefficients provided by LL97. 

      3. Buildings that purchased offsets must upload a copy of that year’s payment receipt and enter the amount of offsets purchased. 

    2. Determine GHG emissions - Complex 

      1. “Complex” means that additional considerations influence the basic formula, 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, such as: 

        1. Multiple buildings on one lot 

          1. Upload a combined report to BEAM as verified in DOB NOW during the filing fee payment. 

        2. Shared energy service 

          1. Upload to BEAM site planning diagram(s) showing all buildings sharing energy service, including meter locations and fuel types, and supporting annual utility bills. 

        3. GHG coefficients for campus-style systems 

          1. Upload to BEAM the DOB-provided template for determining GHG coefficients for campus-style energy and/or electric systems. 

        4. Time-of-Use (TOU) Methodology 

          1. Upload to BEAM the DOB-provided template for calculating hourly emissions coefficients, and hourly utility data reported from the utility. 

        5. Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) 

          1. 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. 

        6. Beneficial Electrification 

          1. Upload to BEAM the DOB-provided template for calculating the deduction; related permit numbers, and installed system specifications. 

        7. Qualified Generation (Cogen) Facilities 

          1. Upload to BEAM equipment specifications, including NOx emissions, metered electricity generation, metered utilized heat, and DOB-provided template for calculating the system efficiency.


  1. Attestation 

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


  1. Departmental review 

Following the submission of the LL97 Compliance Report, DOB staff will review the reports and documentation within BEAM using standardized review templates for different applications. DOB staff will provide feedback or comments as needed. 


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 

    1. This involves submitting a secondary report that demonstrates a building owner’s Good Faith Efforts (GFE) towards compliance, as specified in Article 320. 

 

If you are overwhelmed by the LL97 compliance report filing process, or need to file an extension, click here to learn more about how Maypole can help.


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