Ten prominent real estate groups have signed on as partners in New York State's $50 million Empire Building Challenge, an effort to make high-rise buildings carbon-free.
Challenge partners collectively control over 130 million sf of real estate in New York State, including more than 250 buildings that contain affordable housing. The partners have each pledged to achieve carbon neutrality in one or more of their buildings and in more than 700 units of affordable housing collectively. They also have the potential to scale efforts across their portfolios to more than 25,000 units of affordable housing. Exceeding program requirements, Vornado, Empire State Realty Trust, and Rudin Management Company have all committed to achieving carbon neutrality in their entire real estate portfolios.
Partners will choose technology and innovation experts to help develop a replicable low-carbon retrofit solution proposal for addressing one or more barriers to achieving decarbonization in their buildings. Partners can submit retrofit solution proposals to the state to be evaluated competitively for up to $5 million to support development and implementation of their proposal.
Proposals will be evaluated based on a project’s scalability and feasibility in addressing the major challenges of decarbonizing high-rise buildings, and also on the building owner's willingness and ability to implement solutions across their portfolio.
Related Stories
| Jul 11, 2013
DOE releases stricter energy efficiency standards for new federal buildings taking effect in 2014
The Energy Department released stricter energy efficiency standards this month for new federal buildings.
| Jul 11, 2013
Pennsylvania legislators work on bill to update demolition codes following fatal building collapse
Pennsylvania lawmakers are working on a bill to update demolition codes, in the wake of a fatal building collapse in Philadelphia in June.
| Jul 11, 2013
Lawsuit challenges modular apartment project in New York City
A plan to build pre-fab apartment buildings at Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn, N.Y., has been challenged by a lawsuit filed by the Plumbing Foundation in Manhattan Supreme Court.
| Jul 5, 2013
OSHA to launch program to protect workers from isocyanate exposure
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced a new national emphasis program (NEP) to protect workers from serious health effects caused by occupational exposure to isocyanates.
| Jul 5, 2013
New California building code expected to boost energy demand response technology
The California master building code, set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2014, includes a few changes that could push automated, open-standards-based demand response into the mass market.
| Jul 5, 2013
USGBC adds several new LEED pilot credits
The U.S. Green Building Council has added several new LEED pilot credits to the LEED Pilot Credit Libraryin the past few months.
| Jul 5, 2013
Spray Foam Coalition supports new professional certification program for applicators
The Spray Foam Coalition (SFC) of the American Chemistry Council announced its support of the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance’s (SPFA) new Professional Certification Program for spray foam applicators.
| Jul 5, 2013
Some industry insiders see design-build as easier path to LEED certification
The design-build construction delivery method may have advantages during a LEED certification process.
| Jun 27, 2013
Lease-accounting legislation could hurt construction industry
Regulatory bodies have proposed changes in how leased equipment is treated on a corporate balance sheet.
| Jun 27, 2013
AGC urges Congress, Obama to reject caps on construction workers in immigration legislation
The unemployment rate in the construction sector in May was the lowest it has been in five years, which could signal a coming worker shortage, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.
