If you have walked into a large NYC building lately, you have seen the placard by the door: a big letter grade from A to D. That grade comes from Local Law 33 (as amended by LL95), and behind it sit two numbers every NYC owner should understand — the ENERGY STAR score and the building's EUI. This article explains what they mean and how to move them in the right direction. It is part of our NYC energy compliance series.
EUI: the core metric
Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is a building's annual energy use divided by its floor area, usually expressed in kBtu per square foot per year. Lower is better. There are two flavours: site EUI (energy used at the building) and source EUI (which also counts the energy lost generating and delivering that energy). Source EUI is the fairer comparison across fuel types, and it is what the ENERGY STAR score is built on.
The ENERGY STAR score
The ENERGY STAR score is a 1–100 percentile rank generated in the EPA's free Portfolio Manager tool. A score of 75 means a building performs better than 75% of comparable buildings nationally, adjusted for size, occupancy, climate and use type. NYC owners already calculate it every year, because Local Law 84 requires benchmarking energy and water in Portfolio Manager by May 1.
From score to letter grade
Local Law 33/95 maps the ENERGY STAR score onto a letter grade that must be posted near the building's public entrance:
| Grade | ENERGY STAR score |
|---|---|
| A | 85 and above |
| B | 70 – 84 |
| C | 55 – 69 |
| D | Below 55 (also for non-compliance) |
Updated labels are issued each October and must be displayed by October 31. The grade is public, so it is increasingly a leasing and reputation issue, not just a compliance checkbox.
How these connect to Local Law 97
A good grade and a low EUI usually point the same way as Local Law 97 compliance — but they are not the same test. The ENERGY STAR score measures efficiency relative to peers; LL97 measures absolute carbon against a hard cap. A building can hold a respectable grade and still exceed its LL97 limit, especially a gas-heated one. Reading the two together gives the truest picture of where a building stands.
How modeling helps improve the grade
Benchmarking tells you your score; it does not tell you how to raise it. That is where energy modeling comes in. A calibrated model lets you test which measures — lighting, controls, envelope, HVAC upgrades, electrification — will move your EUI and ENERGY STAR score the most per dollar, and confirms the gain before you invest. It turns a backward-looking grade into a forward-looking plan.
Want to raise your NYC energy grade?
We model NYC buildings to find the measures that improve your EUI, ENERGY STAR score and letter grade — while keeping you on track for Local Law 97. Let's talk.
Get in touchThis article is general guidance and reflects information available at the time of writing. NYC requirements and grade thresholds are set by the City of New York and may change — always confirm current rules with the NYC Department of Buildings for your specific building.