Multifamily Buildings Low-Carbon Pathways Program
Take a step-by-step approach toward implementing a low-carbon retrofit of your multifamily buildings and receive valuable financial incentives along the way. The Multifamily Buildings Low-Carbon Pathways Program offers flexible packages of incentivized energy upgrades that bring deep energy savings to major building systems. This guided path of building upgrades can help you achieve your sustainability goals.
The Low-Carbon Pathways program is right for you if:
- You have any upcoming planned or potential building improvements and are interested in learning about available high-performance solutions
- You want to reduce operating costs and improve resident health and comfort
- You are considering electrification of your multifamily property
How it Works
Each of the upgrade packages includes detailed guidance for each building system and a set of required upgrades, along with additional recommended upgrades to achieve even deeper energy savings and incentives to major building systems:
- Envelope – Install building envelope upgrades to building roof, walls, and/or windows that meet specified tiered U-value targets and provide code-compliant ventilation for each bathroom and kitchen
- Appliances – Convert building gas stoves and dryers to high efficiency induction stoves or heat pump dryers to complete building electrification
- Heating & Cooling – Install heat pump technology for full or partial in-unit heating and cooling
- Domestic Hot Water (DHW) – Install heat pumps to provide 30-100% of DHW load
International Tailoring Co. Building
Future-proofing a multifamily building with clean energy solutions.
Building owners can install one or more of the upgrade packages but are not required to install all packages to receive incentives. However, implementing all packages in a building will achieve higher levels of performance, at near-EnerPHit (Passive House Certificate for retrofits) levels, greatly improving resident comfort and achieving substantial reductions on energy and carbon.
Implement each package one-by-one to make improvements over time, leveraging existing capital improvement points, such as equipment end of life and tenant turnover. This approach enables you to make upgrades on your timeline and build a path toward compliance with Local Law 97 and other building regulations.
Available Incentives
Available Incentives
|
Upgrade Package |
Upgrade Tier*** |
Required Upgrade Incentives* |
Add-On Incentives** |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Envelope |
Roof - Tier 1 | $250 per dwelling unit |
Air sealing: $50 per dwelling unit Ventilation: $750 per dwelling unit Bonus $250/dwelling unit if this is first package implemented and none of the other required measure packages described in this table have been implemented |
| Roof - Tier 2 | $500 per dwelling unit | ||
| Wall - Tier 1 | $750 per dwelling unit |
Air sealing: $50 per dwelling unit Ventilation: $750 per dwelling unit Bonus $1,000/dwelling unit if this is first package implemented and none of the other required measure packages described in this table have been implemented |
|
| Wall - Tier 2 | $1,500 per dwelling unit | ||
| Window - Tier 2 | $1,250 per dwelling unit |
Air sealing: $50 per dwelling unit Ventilation: $750 per dwelling unit Bonus $500/dwelling unit if this is first package implemented and none of the other required measure packages described in this table have been implemented |
|
|
Appliances |
Induction Stove |
$700 per dwelling unit |
|
| Heat Pump Dryers | $500 per dwelling unit |
Must be ENERGY STAR® |
|
|
Heating & Cooling |
Partial Load - Tier 1 |
$2,000 per dwelling unit In addition to any applicable NY Clean Heat incentives |
Air sealing: $50 per dwelling unit Ventilation: $750 per dwelling unit |
| Full Load - Tier 2 |
$4,000 per dwelling unit In addition to any applicable NY Clean Heat incentives |
||
|
Domestic Hot Water |
Partial Load - Tier 1 |
$750 per dwelling unit In addition to any applicable NY Clean Heat incentives |
|
| Full Load - Tier 2 |
$1,500 per dwelling unit In addition to any applicable NY Clean Heat incentives |
*All required upgrades within a package must be implemented and adhere to measurement & verification and quality control protocols to receive the required upgrade incentives for that package.
**Add-on incentives are available when implementing recommended upgrades along with all required upgrades.
***Tiers 1 and 2 have different minimum U-values (a measure of insulation efficiency) for upgrade packages, with Tier 2 requiring lower U-values and greater efficiency.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility Requirements
Eligible Buildings
- Existing multifamily buildings – open to both affordable and market-rate
- New multifamily buildings or those that have undergone substantial renovations must be in operation for at least one year prior to applying to this program
- Buildings with 5+ units where at least 50 percent of the building’s gross heated footage is residential space
- New York State electricity customers including but not limited to those, who pay into the System Benefits Charge (SBC )/NYSERDA Clean Energy Fund on their electric utility bill are eligible to participate in this program
Get Started
1. Talk to a Provider. Before applying, talk to your provider about the program to see if your building is the right fit. If you don’t have a provider you are already working with, you can access NYSERDA’s network of qualified Multifamily Building Solutions Providers or FlexTech Consultants.
2. Review Program Documentation. Visit the Low Carbon Pathways Project Opportunity Notice (PON) 4701 to review detailed information about the program with your provider, including requirements to participate and receive incentives.
3. Contact Us. If you still have questions about a project, your eligibility, or the application process, email us at [email protected].
Not Sure Where to Start? Don't Have a Capital Improvement Plan?
How NYS is Helping Building Owners Go Electric
Access resources to incorporate low carbon upgrades into your building plans.
To help develop a capital plan that incorporates low-carbon improvements over time, NYSERDA offers cost-share incentives for an energy study conducted through the Flexible Technical Assistance (FlexTech) program.
Looking for a low-carbon retrofit strategy resource? The Low-Carbon Retrofit Playbooks 
map out low-carbon retrofit strategies for five common multifamily building typologies - garden style (1-3 stories), pre-war (4-7 stories), post-war (4-7 stories), post-war (8+ stories). Created by NYSERDA, Steven Winter Associates, and the Building Energy Exchange, these low-carbon solutions offer opportunities to maximize occupant comfort and energy savings through a transition from fuel to electricity-based heating, cooling, and hot water systems.