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
| Jun 5, 2012
HP Labs aims for net-zero energy data centers
Building sustainable data centers is one of the goals of HP Labs, and it believes technology, combined with the right building techniques, could result in the construction of energy-efficient data centers.
| Jun 5, 2012
USGBC delays LEED 2012; renames it LEED v4
In response to concerns by LEED users, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that it will delay the ballot on LEED 2012 until June 1, 2013.
| Jun 5, 2012
Baltimore officials vow to block $1.8 billion urban renewal project
Baltimore officials want to block a $1.8 billion urban renewal project until more neighborhood residents and minority contractors are hired and displaced residents can benefit from the revitalization.
| Jun 5, 2012
OSHA launches campaign to warn of heat dangers in outdoor work
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has begun a campaign to warn outdoor workers about the dangers of heat exposure.
| Jun 5, 2012
AGC’s Safety and Health Conference focuses on regulations, legislation
More than 150 industry professionals and other attendees will participate in the Associated General Contractors of America’s (AGC’s) safety and health conference July 11-13 in Washington, D.C.
| Jun 1, 2012
New BD+C University Course on Insulated Metal Panels available
By completing this course, you earn 1.0 HSW/SD AIA Learning Units.
| May 31, 2012
Proposed change in Michigan’s building code would hurt innovation, say critics
Legislation pending before the Michigan Senate would change the law that calls for building codes to be updated every three years to require an update only every six years.
| May 31, 2012
Natural gas industry opposes federal carbon-neutral construction rule
The natural gas industry and some allies are working to block a federal green building rule that was expected to be a national model for carbon-neutral construction.
