Residential Market Advisory Group

Geothermal Target Areas Working Group

Championed by the New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NY-GEO) this Working Group brings together cross-sector experts - contractors, drillers, developers, policymakers, utilities, and other key stakeholders - to identify the key factors influencing viability of geothermal heat pump technologies in residential installations across New York State.

Factors like policy drivers, market demand, contractor capacity, and many others will be explored, and educational materials will be developed with the purpose of demystifying geothermal heat pump technologies and support targeted market development efforts.

Over an 8-month period, participants will contribute to key deliverables, including:

• Geothermal Target Areas Factor Report: The report will detail factors that contribute to a Target Area and make recommendations for how to track that information, including identification of potential data layers and sources that can be used to illustrate geothermal potential.
• Stakeholder Engagement Summary: A document summarizing input from developers, policymakers, CBOs, utilities, and other stakeholders. It will highlight how this feedback informed key decisions in the report and data priorities.

For questions or to learn more about joining this Working Group, please contact [email protected].

The Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pump Forum (ccASHP Forum) was convened in 2024 to discuss inverter-driven ccASHP seasonal performance profiles in New York State and other similar northeast regional climate zones. The group built on an evolving body of work among researchers nationwide exploring the gap between measured and modeled seasonal performance of installed ccASHP systems. Discussions focused on the root causes of performance issues, tying many to ccASHP system oversizing, and explored how it contributes to adverse system performance and energy cost impacts. The group identified recommendations to enhance heat pump selection and are exploring ways to continue the conversation with additional contributors. If you are interested in exploring this topic, contact [email protected].

Working groups and public webinars were convened to share information and solicit input from stakeholders across the residential clean energy value chain on New York State’s implementation of the federal Inflation Reduction Act Home Energy Rebate programs: the Home Efficiency Rebates (HER) Program and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) Program.

Stakeholder engagement activities supported New York State’s application to the U.S. Department of Energy for HER and HEAR funding and helped inform early implementation of the programs. New York State was first in the nation to implement these programs.

For presentation materials, meeting summaries, Frequently Asked Questions, and other documents supporting IRA implementation see the NYSERDA IRA Stakeholder Engagement webpage.

The Residential Contractor Working Group convenes quarterly and advises and provides feedback on a number of topics related to residential contractors. To join this group, email [email protected]. As needed, additional and larger meetings will be held on specific topics and notes are listed below.

• April 15, 2020 Meeting Summary [PDF]

The purpose for the Residential Quality Assurance Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Expert Panel is to support advancement of New York’s clean energy and residential market energy efficiency goals through process improvements for NYSERDA residential programs. This Expert Panel completed Root Cause Analyses on the most common residential program nonconformances that the NYSERDA Quality Assurance team identified. The group initiated this analysis using NYSERDA’s adopted “5 Why’s” Root Cause Analysis approach, leveraging their expertise to help improve residential programming.

The RCA process is designed to identify underlying causes of the most frequent nonconformances and recommend actionable solutions that improve program performance and value realization. Expected outcomes include enhanced project quality, improved residential market development, and bolstered NYSERDA residential program performance. Recommendations are shared with contractors through program announcements that provide guidance to project managers, auditors, and contracting business owners.

Key recommendations emphasize:

• The critical role of LED installations vs. leaving behind for customers to install in achieving customer value in energy-efficiency projects and the impact of LED nonconformances on residential program goals.
• The influence of nonconformances on QA performance scores.
• The importance of ongoing education for both new and existing crews to ensure correct installation practices.
• Clear identification of responsibilities for verification at pre-installation, installation, and post-installation stages to minimize errors that lead to nonconformance.
• The role of customer attestations in validating project quality.

Current Status: The Root Cause Analysis process is active internally within NYSERDA and currently inactive externally. Deliverables include program announcements, recommendations for contractors, and educational materials designed to improve compliance, share best practices, and enhance overall program outcomes.

For more information, contact [email protected].

The Stacked Energy Efficiency Program Framework Working Group was comprised of a variety of residential stakeholders and convened from 2021 through 2023. Its purpose was to develop a framework for a pilot program of demonstration projects showcasing stacked energy efficiency, clean energy, and renewable energy for 1-4 unit existing homes. The collective efforts of the Working Group resulted in the framework linked below. This framework is being made available to any entity that wants to stand up a stacked efficiency and electrification program in their area. For more information, email [email protected].

• SEEP Framework [PDF]