Building Emissions Calculator for Local Law 97
You can use this calculator to estimate the carbon emissions penalty for your building under Local Law 97 of 2019. The calculator will ask for the area (square feet) and occupancy classification of your building, and also the usage of several energy sources - electricity, natural gas, steam, #2 fuel oil, and #4 fuel oil.
Based on your building data, the calculator will estimate the following values:
- The emissions limit for your building
- Your actual emissions, and by how much you exceed the limit
- Annual penalties under Local Law 97
- Your estimated energy costs per year
- The sum of your energy costs and LL97 penalties
These values will be provided for two penalty periods: 2024-2029 and 2030-2034. Since the NYC Department of Buildings has not published a calculation procedure for 2035 and later, the calculator will not estimate emissions beyond 2034. We will update the page as the NYC DOB provides new information, and also if there are changes to LL97.
How to Use the LL97 Calculator
To estimate carbon emissions and LL97 penalties for your buildings, follow these steps:
- Input your building’s floor area in square feet, and select the occupancy group for the drop-down list.
- If your building is divided into several occupancy classifications, you can specify up to four - each with the corresponding area.
- Input your annual energy consumption by source: electricity (kWh), natural gas (therm), steam (Mlb), #2 fuel oil (gal), and #4 fuel oil (gal). If an energy source is not used by your building, leave the consumption value blank.
- The calculator uses default energy prices, but you can input the actual prices charged to the building.
Based on this information, the calculator will estimate your annual energy costs and LL97 penalties. It will also provide a breakdown of your energy consumption, carbon emissions and energy costs - by source and per square foot. Building emissions are calculated in metric tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2-e).
Disclaimer
This calculator is designed to estimate building emissions and LL97 penalties for your buildings. However, its purpose is informational, and it has not been developed as a compliance tool.
Actual emissions can vary depending on building conditions, and calculator procedures can also be changed if New York City decides to modify or update LL97.
LL97 also provides other compliance paths, such as purchasing carbon offsets and renewable energy certificates (RECs). These options are not considered by the calculator.
