Empire Building Challenge Projects
Planning for Resource Efficient Decarbonization
A Phased Approach to Eliminating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Tall Buildings in Cold Climates
Following the Empire Building Challenge approach, each of the real estate partners below developed a phased, strategic roadmap to carbon neutrality for their properties.
The Empire Building Challenge holistic approach, combined with a realistic phasing plan, proves that decarbonization is technically and economically feasible.
To learn more about the Empire Building Challenge approach, see our “Planning for Resource Efficient Decarbonization” guide, and continue scrolling for more information about these cutting-edge demonstration projects.
Multifamily Projects
Amalgamated Housing Corporation
The Towers
Bronx, NY
This is the oldest limited equity multifamily co-operative in the country. AHC will re-pipe the existing hydronic distribution system to enable simultaneous heating and cooling, instead of the single seasonal option offered today. New wastewater heat recovery and geothermal systems will recover heat from domestic water sources, and allow AHC to decommission its cooling towers.
Ascendant Neighborhood Development
Mt. Pleasant
New York, NY
This project demonstrates a successful, renewable ground-source space conditioning retrofit in a city. Its full decarbonization strategy can also serve as a roadmap for others.
Chartered Properties
78 Herkimer + more
Brooklyn, NY
This project, and others in the portfolio, will achieve carbon neutrality by replacing gas-fired equipment. At Herkimer, twenty-nine in-unit combi-boilers will be decommissioned and replaced with electric-powered thermal storage for domestic hot water heat pumps.
FirstService Residential
Lincoln Square Condominium
New York, NY
Several phased in, low-carbon retrofit solutions are proposed for this site, including plans to electrify the heating system with packaged terminal heat pumps and a goal to electrify the domestic hot water system with condenser water heat recovery.
HANAC
George T. Douris Tower
Astoria, NY
Five retrofit goals are planned at this multi-use high-rise. Two goals include connecting the commercial and residential heating, cooling, and domestic hot water thermal energy zones for hydronic-based thermal heat recovery then electrifying loads that rely on fossil fuels.
Joint Ownership Entity NYC
Bronx, NY
Steps in this retrofit project include implementing a cutting-edge wastewater heat recovery system for domestic hot water, refurbishing the full envelope, and installing individual heat pumps.
L+M Fund Management
The Heritage
New York, NY
This project dramatically cuts heating and cooling needs thanks to major building envelope improvements. Packaged terminal heat pumps for heating and cooling will reduce energy use and costs from the current electric resistance heating system. The project also pilot tests state of the art heat pump water heaters and electric laundry dryers.
Paths Development LLC
Whitney Young Manor
Yonkers, NY
This retrofit project, with nearly $12 million allocated to the decarbonization effort, will showcase how to leverage a recapitalization opportunity to comprehensively retrofit energy systems and otherwise modernize an affordable housing complex.
Riseboro Community Partnerships
Melrose Apartments & Noll Street Apartments
Brooklyn, NY
This decarbonization retrofit covers two buildings. A highlight of the project features combining mechanical equipment into a single central plant that serves both buildings.
Rudin Management Company
215 East 68th Street
New York, NY
This project, a 1M+ sq. ft., 32-story multifamily building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side built in 1962, will retrofit the building with electric heat recovery chillers to reduce gas consumption, eliminate fossil fuel use for summer cooling and hot water, and prepare for future geothermal integration. Currently, the building uses natural gas boilers and absorption chillers for heating, cooling, and hot water, resulting in year-round fossil fuel use and potential Local Law 97 penalties by 2030.
Sisters of Charity Housing Development Corporation
St. Elizabeth Manor
Staten Island, NY
The goal to revive this building includes improving the envelope, electrifying heat and hot water systems, installing heat recovery systems for ventilation, and installing wastewater heat recovery systems.
Syracuse Housing Authority
James Geddes Development
Syracuse, NY
This project will add a new overclad façade using Hydronic Shell’s heating, cooling, and ventilation system. The Hydronic Shell is a complete central HVAC distribution system integrated into prefabricated modular façade panels.
WinnDevelopment
Stovroff Towers
Amherst, NY
This project will be a comprehensive renovation. 120 single-occupancy units will be converted into eight studio apartments and 58 one-bedroom apartments with high-efficiency, low-carbon upgrades.
Commercial Projects
Boston Properties
601 Lexington Ave
New York, NY
With building systems typical among high rises built in the 1970’s, this project will demonstrate scalable decarbonization within this challenging building type. BXP will reduce the building’s steam consumption by over 30% through the capture and utilization of heat that would typically be wasted.
Brookfield Properties
660 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY
To achieve full decarbonization by 2035, this project includes an HVAC system overhaul, heat pumps in numerous heat recovery and reuse applications, and a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS). Brookfield will also capture waste heat throughout the building via water-to-water heat pumps and air-to-water heat pumps.
Empire State Realty Trust
Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY
Work will include pilots on several floors as tenants change, electrifying certain space conditioning loads, and recovering waste heat that is currently exhausted. The NYSERDA investment will support pilots for several key projects planned for replication throughout the Empire State Building, including the development of a building-wide thermal network.
Hudson Square Partnership
345 Hudson
New York, NY
This comprehensive retrofit takes advantage of tenant turnover as an opportunity to upgrade building infrastructure to carbon efficient, energy cost-saving technology to completely decarbonize the property. A comprehensive water source heat pump system will recycle heat from different spaces in the building, reducing heating and cooling needs.
LeFrak
59-17 Junction Boulevard
Queens, NY
This project leverages replacement of Hurricane Ida-damaged HVAC equipment to enable electrification and heat recovery. Critical re-piping and a new heat exchanger will allow the building’s core and perimeter zones to operate independently. This building will benefit from heat recovery during winter season as the core requires cooling year-round.
Vornado
Penn One
New York, NY
Vornado developed a roadmap to 100% carbon neutrality at Penn One, their flagship office, by 2040. Advanced waterside heat recovery measures will enable the decommissioning of the existing cogeneration plant. This project showcases a ‘thermal dispatch model,’ highlighting how carbon free sources can be deployed incrementally and in an accretive fashion to meet the heating and cooling loads of a large commercial building.
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