// NYC Local Law Compliance
Local Law 87 — energy audits & retro-commissioning.
What is Local Law 87?
Local Law 87 requires owners of buildings over 50,000 square feet to assess how energy moves through their building — through a professional energy audit and retro-commissioning — once every ten years, and to file an Energy Efficiency Report (EER) documenting the findings.
The audit uncovers the most cost-effective ways to cut energy use and carbon; retro-commissioning tunes your existing systems to run the way they were designed to. Together they're the technical backbone of a smart Local Law 97 strategy.
$3,000
for the first year, then $5,000 for each additional year until the EER is filed. A late EER isn't accepted until outstanding penalties are paid in full.
50,000+
gross sq ft covered
10-year
filing cycle
// Who is covered
Which buildings must file an EER?
Buildings over 50,000 gross square feet.
Each building files on a rolling 10-year cycle — the due year is keyed to the last digit of the building's tax block number.
The audit and RCx must be performed or supervised by a Registered Design Professional (a NY-licensed PE or RA) who isn't on the building's staff.
// What it requires
Two technical studies, one filing
ASHRAE Level II audit
A base-building energy audit performed to ASHRAE's Level II standard, identifying every reasonable energy- and cost-reduction measure with payback analysis.
Retro-commissioning (RCx)
Tuning and correcting your existing base-building systems — HVAC, controls, lighting, domestic hot water — so they operate as intended.
Energy Efficiency Report
A filed EER summarizing both studies, prepared with the City's required DOE Asset Score Audit Template and RCx Data Collection Tool.
Design professional of record
The work is stamped by a Registered Design Professional who is independent of the building's operating staff.
// Your compliance year
When is my EER due?
The EER is due by December 31 of the year whose last digit matches the last digit of your building's tax block number — then every ten years after. We confirm your building's exact due year against DOB's records before we start.
Block-digit schedule
A tax block ending in 5 is due in 2025 and 2035; ending in 6, due 2026; ending in 0, due 2030 — and so on.
Filed in DOB NOW
As of January 2025, EER penalty payments and challenges are handled in DOB NOW: Safety.
Don't wait for the deadline
An audit and RCx take months of field work and analysis — starting early protects both your deadline and your budget.
// How we help
How Eastern Engineering delivers your LL87 compliance
- 01Perform the ASHRAE Level II energy audit and retro-commissioning as your Registered Design Professional of record.
- 02Prepare and file the Energy Efficiency Report using the City's required audit and RCx tools.
- 03Turn audit findings into a funded action plan — connecting measures to NYSERDA and NYC Accelerator incentives.
- 04Coordinate LL87 with your LL84 benchmarking and LL97 carbon-cap planning for one unified strategy.
// The full slate