Building Decarbonization Insights
Introducing Resource Efficient Electrification (REE)
Decarbonizing cold-climate buildings requires a novel approach. Through the Empire Building Challenge, NYSERDA, its real estate partners, and their consulting engineers are pioneering a framework tailored to this market: Resource Efficient Electrification (REE).
A rational approach to large building decarbonization: Lessons learned from the Empire Building Challenge
NESEA 2021 BuildingEnergy Magazine
: Building owners can build a clear path toward carbon neutral operations by adopting an incremental methodology and integrated design process combined with strategic capital planning.
Introducing the Resource Efficient Electrification (REE) approach
The EBC Approach [PDF]: Asset investment should be planned in the context of a comprehensive decarbonization roadmap rather than reactive maintenance. The EBC team piloted a Strategic Decarbonization Assessment, which allows building owners to include the complexities of capital refresh, tenant improvements, and non-energy benefits.
EBC Knowledge Base
Lessons learned and the Resource Efficient Electrification (REE) framework to develop a cost-effective, long-term decarbonization roadmap for buildings.
This site is a resource for building owners and operators and design and engineering teams.
Following the REE approach, you can build a clear path towards carbon neutral operations by adopting an incremental methodology and integrated design process including strategic capital planning.
Visit: EBC Knowledge Base 
Empire Building Playbook: An Owner's Guide to Low Carbon Retrofits
Do you need to develop a long-term, cost-effective building decarbonization plan? Are you a building owner, asset or project manager, or real estate sustainability manager in charge of ESG goals for your company? Is your company taking proactive steps to make your building assets more climate friendly and resilient, and comply with local carbon reduction mandates? If so, this Playbook is for you. It is a resource that will help you frame your building efficiency and decarbonization goals within the context of real life case studies, harness lessons learned from real estate owners who have already gone through the process, and capture the economic benefits of high performance buildings.
High Rise, Low Carbon Event Series
The High Rise, Low Carbon Series highlights NYSERDA’s Empire Building Challenge and the commitments of the Challenge Partners. This series is designed to inspire action among New York’s building industry stakeholders and invite the world’s top solution providers to join New York on its journey toward a low-carbon future.
The High Rise, Low Carbon event series advances the decarbonization of New York’s existing buildings by sharing low-carbon retrofit success stories and making key connections among the real estate, construction, engineering, and design communities.
Empire Building Challenge in the News
- TIME: The Empire State Building's Green Retrofit Was a Success. Will Other Buildings Follow Suit?
- CANARY MEDIA: How to get New York City’s biggest buildings to zero carbon
High-rise buildings can’t eliminate natural gas all at once. But they can and should start electrifying their heating right now. - VORNADO: Empire State Realty Trust pledge total carbon neutrality by 2035
10 major NY landlords join public-private partnership to support Cuomo’s emissions goal - URBAN GREEN COUNCIL: Recovery Through Retrofits
The EBC has two economic benefits: New York could become a global leader in scalable low-carbon retrofits for big buildings and can generate thousands of green jobs in the process.