A decade ago, a deep retrofit of the Empire State Building reduced energy demand in the iconic skyscraper by more than one-third. The now-archetypal project, which involved manufacturing 6,514 super-windows on-site, avoided costly upgrades to the central cooling system and achieved a shocking three-year simple payback. Now, the building’s owners and their partners are back for the sequel, part of a superhero squad decarbonizing skyward in Gotham City.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul just announced the awarding of $20 million to four pioneers redefining asset management in the age of decarbonization as part of the $50 million Empire Building Challenge administered by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Winning projects included commercial offices by Empire State Realty Trust and Hudson Square Partnership and affordable multifamily housing by L+M Fund Management & Invesco Ltd. and Omni New York. It is a milestone moment after more than a year of collaboration in NYSERDA’s Empire Building Challenge.