New York State has announced $30 million “Buildings of Excellence” competition, which seeks to “advance” the design, construction and operation of low- or zero-carbon emitting buildings.

Administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the “Buildings of Excellence” competition will offer financial incentives and recognition for building construction and operation projects that demonstrate “cost-effective and replicable” low-carbon or carbon-neutral designs that reduce energy costs for residents and offer developers a “competitive edge with predictable revenue and cost projections,” the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a March 6 news release. 

The competition will show how low-carbon buildings can be “profitable, attractive and affordable” for New Yorkers and will demonstrate how advanced building design can “eventually be adopted” into the New York State Energy Conservation and Construction Code, the governor said.

Funding for this program is part of the state’s 10-year, $5.3 billion clean-energy fund and is part of NYSERDA’s $50 million investment in new construction initiatives that are focused on activity in the multi-family building sector, including market rate and low-to-moderate income.

How it works

The competition will include three rounds. Each round will provide up to $10 million, with up to $1 million available per project. The first round is focused on multi-family buildings. 

NYSERDA is accepting applications through June 4 with awards expected this summer. To be eligible, projects must be located in one of the six electric investor-owned New York State utility company territories. Proposals can be for new construction or rehabilitation projects. 

Mixed-use buildings are eligible, but at least 50 percent of the building by square footage must be for housing. Projects must demonstrate design and construction methods that can be easily replicated and adopted by professionals for future projects. 

Eligible projects that will be awarded must be in one of the following four phases.

Early Design — Projects in the schematic design or design development phase; eligible for an award of up to $1 million.

Late Design — Design development is complete, and the construction documents are being developed, but the building permit has not yet been issued; eligible for an award of up to $750,000.

Under Construction — If the building permit has been issued, but the first certificate of occupancy, whether temporary or permanent, has not been issued; eligible for an award of up to $500,000.

Post-Completion Performance Optimi-

zation — Projects must show how additional proposed enhancements and/or optimizations demonstrate replicability and improve the living environment; eligible for an award of up to $250,000.

Part of Cuomo plan

The competition is part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s goal to “transform New York’s entire building stock” as part of his “Green New Deal,” a clean energy and jobs agenda that puts New York on a “path to a carbon-free economy,” Cuomo’s office said.

New Yorkers pay about $35 billion annually for electricity and heating fuels, and buildings account for 59 percent of statewide greenhouse-gas emissions, Cuomo’s office said. 

“The time for addressing climate change is now and today we are doubling down on our commitment to lead the way with a revolutionary path toward carbon-free buildings,” Cuomo stipulated. 

The competition also supports the proposed increase in New York’s clean-energy standard mandate to generate 70 percent of the state’s electricity through renewable- energy sources by 2030. By transitioning to a low-carbon building stock, New York contends it will lower energy and fuel usage and overall consumer-energy demand by reducing the need for fossil fuels while New York shifts to a renewable-energy system for heating and electricity. 

DRYDEN — Solar Farms New York says a solar farm under construction on Cornell University–owned property in Dryden will generate enough electricity for about 3,000 homes. 

Crews are building the Cascadilla solar farm on a 125-acre property, Albany–based Solomon Community Solar LLC said in a Feb. 25 news release. Solomon Community Solar does business as Solar Farms New York.

The project cost is $40 million and Edison, New Jersey–based Conti Solar is the project manager, Jeffrey Mayer, CEO of Solomon Community Solar LLC, says in an email response to a CNYBJ inquiry.

Solar Farms New York is the company marketing the farm’s electricity to homeowners in Tompkins County.

The firm held a March 1 groundbreaking for the project at 136 Stevenson Road in Dryden, “on the edge of the farm property.”  

“We are excited to be working with the Town of Dryden, Cornell University and Tompkins County to help achieve the state’s goal to produce 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2040,” Jeffrey Mayer, CEO of Solar Farms New York, said in a news release. “What’s more, we will be doing it with 100 percent New York sunshine.”

The renewable-energy production will benefit all New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) customers but only members of the farms will see savings from the community-solar program. Solar farms generate electricity that is allocated to homeowners and apartment renters without the need for rooftop panels, Solar Farms said.

Crews are installing more than 79,000 solar panels that will generate more than 30,000 megawatts annually, per Mayer. He expects crews to finish the construction by summer, and members can expect to start receiving credits from NYSEG after that.

“The Cascadilla community solar farm at Cornell University is truly a town-gown achievement,” Sarah Zemanick, director of the campus sustainability office, contended in the release. “It takes the concerted efforts of dozens of people to conceive and pull off a project of this size.” 

Close to 2,000 homeowners have already signed up under the company’s community-solar program, Mayer says. The Cascadilla project is among Solar Farms New York’s 36 solar farms throughout the state which will begin to supply solar electricity to NYSEG this year.

“Our customers like the flexibility of joining a solar farm without installing expensive and sometimes unsightly rooftop panels,” he says. “Unlike the 20-year commitment required for solar panels, our customers can cancel any time without penalty.”

About the program

Under New York’s community-solar program, the farms sell their electricity to NYSEG, which will in turn put credits on customer bills. Customers will then pay Solar Farms New York for their electricity.

Solar Farms New York will bill customers 95 percent of the value of the credits they receive from NYSEG, resulting in a 5 percent savings on their solar credits. 

Members of the company’s farms “do not” have to enter into long-term contracts, per the release. Memberships are month-to-month and can be cancelled any time without penalty.

Community solar farms are a “rapidly expanding” around the country, supported by utilities which have an “easier time” incorporating solar electricity into their grid when it is produced at a single location and not on hundreds of rooftops. 

Customers “benefit too by avoiding high upfront costs, maintenance, and potential roof damage,” Solar Farm New York contends.

Solar farms can offset up to 100 percent of a customer’s bill, “unlike rooftop panels, which help offset [30 to 50 percent] of a household’s electricity usage,” Mayer says. 

“For homeowners that want to save money and make a material dent in fossil-fuel emissions, community solar is a convenient and easy alternative,” he adds.

He also stresses that community solar farms are not energy-service companies, or ESCOs, which are third-party suppliers of electricity. 

“Customers can still purchase their electricity supply from third parties,” he says, “but whether or not they choose to stay with the utility or sign up with an ESCO they can receive guaranteed monthly savings from our program.”       

The fourth round of New York State’s 76West clean-energy competition is accepting applications through April 15 at 5 p.m.

The 76West contest focuses on growing entrepreneurs and attracting resources from the U.S. and around the world to build clean-energy businesses and create jobs in Southern Tier region of New York, according to NYSERDA. The competition annually offers $2.5 million in prize money, including a $1 million top prize.

The competition seeks to further develop the regional community of clean-energy technology innovators, industry experts, educators, and investors, as well as help startups get early users for their technologies, NYSERDA says.

Competition details are available on the NYSERDA website at: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Programs/76west/Competition-Details.

Rochester–based EkoStinger captured the $1 million grand prize in the third round of the 76West clean-energy competition, with the awards ceremony held last September in Binghamton. EkoStinger manufactures under-trailer aerodynamic devices for tractor trailers that reduce emissions and save fuel.

EkoStinger in February opened a new manufacturing plant at the Elmira Corning Regional Airport in Horseheads. The company leased an 8,000-square-foot facility at the airport, purchased new equipment from local vendors, and hired six new employees, the state said.

EkoStinger is using the facility to increase production to an expected 8,000 units a year from 2,000 now. That should allow it to expand its customer base, which currently includes Raymour & Flanigan, Bridgestone Corp., Nestle, Ryder, Penske, and Hyundai.