New York City Advances Building Safety and Sustainability with Adoption of Updated Energy and Existing Building Codes
These adoptions are a significant step toward ensuring the safety, efficiency and resiliency of New York City.
New York City has adopted the 2025 NYC Energy Conservation Code based on the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC®) and the NYC Existing Building Code based on the International Existing Building Code® (IEBC®). These decisions are a testament to the City’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards in building safety and sustainability.
A New Framework for Existing Buildings
The main objective of the NYC Existing Building Code is to preserve and reuse existing buildings by offering flexible compliance options. This approach will ultimately result in safer buildings. Additionally, the code aims to:
- Simplify the current complex regulatory structure
- Provide clear guidance for the 80,000+ alteration applications filed annually
- Eliminate obstacles to rehabilitating existing buildings
- Promote compliance by making the code easier to navigate
Energy Code Updates Reflect Statewide Progress
In tandem, New York City has adopted the 2025 NYC Energy Conservation Code to reflect New York State’s adoption of the 2025 Energy Conservation Construction Code, which was based on the 2024 IECC.
Key updates include:
- Mandatory air‑leakage testing for all buildings
- Enhanced requirements for backup electric heating, supporting resilience during extreme weather events
- Alignment with modern national standards that promote energy efficiency, reliability and long‑term cost savings
About the Author
The International Code Council is a nonprofit association that provides a wide range of building safety solutions, including product evaluation, accreditation, certification, codification and training. It develops model codes and standards used worldwide to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures.
