The New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) recently announced it has made available $1 million to large real-estate portfolio owners for support with developing energy performance standards and institutional mechanisms to enable the design, construction, and operation of net-zero buildings across their statewide portfolios. Net-zero energy buildings consume no more energy, on […]
The New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) recently announced it has made available $1 million to large real-estate portfolio owners for support with developing energy performance standards and institutional mechanisms to enable the design, construction, and operation of net-zero buildings across their statewide portfolios.
Net-zero energy buildings consume no more energy, on an annual basis, than they produce onsite through renewable-energy technologies. The announcement supports Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s goal to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in New York by 40 percent by 2030.
Those eligible for the funding include real-estate developers, colleges and universities, retailers, public-sector agencies, and other private, public, or nonprofit entities.
“As we move toward achieving Governor Cuomo’s energy goals, encouraging large private, public and non-profit entities to pursue net zero energy performance early in the design process is critically important to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from our building stock,” Alicia Barton, president and CEO of NYSERDA said in a release. “Lowering harmful emissions through net zero energy performance buildings results in cleaner communities and helps protect the environment – a win-win for all.”
This Net Zero Energy pilot program is part of NYSERDA’s approach to support the design and construction industry as it moves to net-zero energy and net-zero carbon construction, renovation, and operations. Designed to help developers embrace net-zero initiatives, the program will help support advanced high-performance building-development methods and technologies while creating a “group of leading institutions that publicly commit to adopting these cutting-edge practices,” the authority said. To spur net-zero energy performance across the state, NYSERDA, on a first-come first-served basis, will provide each approved applicant with a maximum amount of $250,000 toward technical guidance to be provided by a consultant with expertise in net-zero building design and construction. Approved applicants will also receive help with identifying other NYSERDA programs that can offer additional financial and technical assistance for the construction projects themselves. “Those businesses and institutions awarded funding will serve as an example for others to follow by demonstrating the technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness of net zero buildings,” according to the release.
Funding for this program is part of the state’s 10-year, $5.3 billion Clean Energy Fund. More information about this funding is available on NYSERDA’s website (www.nyserda.ny.gov).
