New York has introduced the Empire Technology Prize, a $10 million competition aimed at promoting low-carbon heating retrofits in tall buildings. Managed by The Clean Fight and endorsed by Governor Kathy Hochul, the initiative aims to stimulate the development of heating systems that can be installed in buildings of seven stories or higher without displacing residents or modifying existing infrastructure.
Key Points:
- The prize is part of New York’s commitment to reduce 85% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in alignment with the state’s Climate Act objectives.
- Buildings contribute to nearly two-thirds of New York City’s greenhouse gas emissions. A recent proposal, Local Law 97, targets net-zero emissions for the city’s largest buildings by 2030, with energy efficiency standards taking effect by 2024.
- The Empire Technology Prize offers a significant opportunity for manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and real estate stakeholders to collaborate on solutions that will lower emissions in tall commercial and residential buildings.
- Approximately 1.5 billion sq. ft. of New York buildings currently use steam for heating. NYSERDA is keen on innovations that centralize building heat pumps producing steam or high-temperature hot water, or those facilitating the integration of existing low-temperature heat pumps.
- Proposals will be evaluated by industry experts and real estate companies. The Clean Fight will facilitate interactions between finalists and building owners to discuss pilot and demo opportunities.
- Finalists could receive up to $1 million each, with $250,000 awarded upon reaching the final stage and an additional $750,000 based on progress milestones. An extra $2 million is earmarked to cover installation costs for pilot programs or demo projects in qualifying tall buildings.
- The deadline for application submissions is March 22, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
