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Multifamily Buildings Low-Carbon Capital Planning Support

 

Whether you are a multifamily property owner looking for ways to incorporate low-carbon energy upgrades into your capital planning or you are beginning your path toward Local Law 97 compliance, start with Low-Carbon Capital Planning Support to develop your custom plan toward low-carbon retrofits.

Low-Carbon Capital Planning Support offers cost-share incentives through NYSERDA’s Flexible Technical Assistance (FlexTech) program to help pay for an energy study of your multifamily portfolio or buildings within your portfolio. To be eligible, studies must focus on electrification or electrification-readiness

These Low-Carbon Capital Planning studies will uncover a wealth of information that enables you to evaluate and develop a road map over time for the implementation of low-carbon energy-saving upgrades that can reduce your operating costs, improve tenant satisfaction, and put you on the path toward compliance with low-carbon building regulations. 

With NYSERDA offering a cost share for this analysis, you can discover what you don’t already know about your properties with little risk to you.


What types of energy studies are funded?

The Low Carbon Capital Planning Support for Multifamily Buildings provides cost-share funding for clean energy analyses focused on electrification or electrification-readiness upgrades:

  • Portfolio-level studies: Plan across your entire portfolio or a subset of your portfolio, enabling you to prioritize and target properties for low carbon upgrades
  • Building-specific studies: Develop a detailed building-level plan and gather the information necessary to implement a low carbon retrofit over time

What is the benefit of a Low Carbon Capital Planning study?

Insightful and actionable analysis, in short. The comprehensive energy study provides you with valuable information to help develop a road map toward low carbon retrofits at your properties. The report includes:

  • List of Recommended Low Carbon Upgrades: Identify and evaluate upgrades that reduce energy consumption and incorporate low carbon energy solutions at your properties
  • Comprehensive Cost-benefit Analysis: Get a holistic view of the many benefits of a low carbon retrofit. Look beyond simple project payback through utility savings with a full financial analysis that estimates impacts on non-energy expenses, where certain upgrades may lead to reduced maintenance costs or reduced pest control costs. Gain an understanding of qualitative, non-energy benefits, such as improved tenant comfort and satisfaction, reduced noise, or improved indoor air quality.
  • Low Carbon Phased Implementation Plan: Receive a high-level timeline that allows you to incorporate low carbon upgrades step-by-step rather than all at once. Develop a custom capital improvement plan for your portfolio or property that incorporates key milestones, such as equipment end of life, tenant turnover, and your work toward local law compliance.

What incentives are available?

Study Type Energy Analysis Cost-Share Information Cost-Share Cap Per Project
Portfolio-level ASHRAE Level 1+ or above Up to 75%
of total study cost*
(for completion of study)
2% of total portfolio annual energy expenditure for the buildings in study, up to $100K
Building-specific ASHRAE Level 2 or above Up to 75%
of total study cost*
(for completion of study)
10% of building annual energy expenditure for the buildings in study, up to $500K

Pre-Implementation Assistance for Building-Specific Studies

Save when you move your project forward to implementation. Building-specific studies are eligible to receive additional funding of up to 20% of the total cost of the study for pre-implementation tasks, including but not limited to:

  • Bid document review
  • RFP development
  • Developing scoring guidelines
  • Meetings with bidders and potential bidders

What are the eligibility requirements?

  • Multifamily properties in New York State that pay into the electric System Benefits Charge (SBC)/NYSERDA Clean Energy Fund on their electric utility bill are eligible to receive assistance
  • Studies focused electrification or electrification-readiness upgrades that: 
    • Transition at least one heating/cooling or DHW system to a high-performance electric technology,
      OR
    • Significantly reduce heating/cooling load and can enable future electrification (e.g. envelope improvements, ventilation improvements, building electrical infrastructure, etc.)
  • Required level of analysis varies depending on type of study
    • Portfolio-level studies: ASHRAE Level 1+ or above
    • Building-specific studies: ASHRAE Level 2 or above
  • All studies must be done with a FlexTech consultant or Multifamily Building Solutions Provider

For additional details on eligibility requirements and deliverables, review the FlexTech – Multifamily Low Carbon Capital Planning Study Guidelines [PDF].

Additional Resources: Multifamily Building Low Carbon Playbooks

NYSERDA, Steven Winter Associates, and the Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex) have developed a series of Multifamily Building Low Carbon PlaybooksLink opens in new window - close new window to return to this page..

These free resources offer technical guidance on the implementation of a low carbon retrofit and electrification of heating, cooling, and domestic hot water systems over time. There are five playbooks in the series, one for each of the most common multifamily building typologies in New York State.

Get Started

  1. Find a FlexTech consultant or Multifamily Building Solutions Provider
  2. Work with the FlexTech consultant or Multifamily Building Solutions Provider to complete the application, scope of work, and budget, as described in the Multifamily Low Carbon Capital Planning Study Guidelines [PDF]
  3. Submit your completed application, scope of work, and budget to [email protected]

If you’re not sure how to get started, email us at [email protected]. Tell us about your portfolio or building and what type of study or analysis you are interested in, and we’ll guide you through the application process.

Have Questions or Need Assistance?

If you have questions about a project, your eligibility, or the application process, email us at [email protected].

Opening the Door to a Carbon Neutral Future