New York City has made a major change in its approach to regulating construction and renovations by adopting a new existing Building Code along with an updated Energy Conservation Code. The move brings its regulations more in line with international model standards and state requirements.
New York’s Existing Building Code is based on the International Existing Building Code and aims to simplify the city’s regulatory framework while encouraging the preservation and reuse of existing buildings. City officials say the code provides clearer compliance paths for the more than 80,000 alteration requests submitted each year and removes barriers to rehabilitation work, thereby improving overall building safety.
At the same time, the city adopted the 2025 New York Energy Conservation Code, which is based on the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code and mirrors New York State’s adoption of the 2025 Energy Conservation Building Code.
Key provisions of the updated energy code include mandatory air leakage testing for all buildings, enhanced requirements for backup electric heating systems to improve resilience during extreme weather events, and closer alignment with national energy efficiency standards aimed at saving long-term costs.
“New York City is making history with these adoptions,” Dottie Mazzarella, vice president of government relations for the International Code Council, which develops the model codes, said in a statement. “These adoptions will modernize the city’s construction regulatory framework and strengthen the protection of its residents.”
Last month, municipal officials updated The city of New York building code in order to reduce occupancy-specific variances, which officials said would significantly affect how renovations are regulated.
