Resource Library
Our comprehensive resource library offers building professionals guidance and insights from project teams and experts to inform the development of effective decarbonization roadmaps for their properties. This living platform hosts a growing collection of invaluable resources, including case studies, technical guides, best practices, and educational materials, all geared towards promoting the adoption and success of low-carbon retrofits, and a more sustainable future in building design and operation.
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High Rise | Low Carbon Multifamily
A global survey of 14 high-rise multifamily retrofit profiles that achieved deep energy reductions.
Retrofit Playbook Event Series: The Transformative Impact of Charrettes
How can project teams transform their thinking about building decarbonization and generate cogent plans that incorporate long-term flexibility to future-proof their assets? Given the urgent need to reduce building emissions, taking advantage of collaborative problem-solving…
Retrofit Playbook Event Series: Platform Launch with New Empire Building Challenge Multifamily Winners
Are you a multifamily building owner or manager trying to meet your Local Law 97 obligations? Are you a solution provider looking for a better way to assist your clients with complex decarbonization projects? Join Building Energy…
Large Building Decarbonization Price Index
A resource dedicated to assisting designers and building industry professionals to track pricing and lead times for equipment essential to implementing building decarbonization projects.
Strategies for Success
A resource providing pragmatic strategies to tackle common challenges to decarbonization in leased office spaces.
Decarbonizing NYC Offices: Playbook for Consultants
Key insights and resources to support consultants in prioritizing building performance and incorporating decarbonization strategies within leased tenant spaces.
Decarbonizing NYC Offices: Playbook for Building Owners & Managers
Key insights and resources to support owners in prioritizing building performance and incorporating decarbonization strategies within leased tenant spaces.
Decarbonizing NYC Offices: Playbook for Tenants
Key insights and resources to support commercial tenants in prioritizing building performance and incorporating decarbonization strategies within leased tenant spaces.
Retrofit Playbook for Large Buildings Launch Event
On June 11, 2024, NYSERDA, BE-Ex, RMI, and Urban Land Institute hosted the launch of the Retrofit Playbook for Large Buildings, showcasing replicable approaches for low-carbon retrofits from cohorts of the Empire Building Challenge. Additionally,…
The Role of Design Charrettes in Building Decarbonization Planning
A detailed overview of design charrette workshops and how they can be used to enhance decarbonization plans.
Empire State Building
Empire Building Challenge Overview
Learn about NYSERDA's Empire Building Challenge through their website and resources.
Strategic Decarbonization Assessment (SDA) Tool
This excel tool enables retrofit project teams to align asset decarbonization with strategic goals.
Building Discovery
A guide for assessing building conditions to identify energy efficiency opportunities.
The Heritage
ULI Tenant Energy Optimization Program
A ten-step program guiding building owners to integrate energy efficiency into tenant spaces, complete with tools and case studies for replication.
Federal Incentives for Decarbonizing Large Buildings
An overview of benefits and eligibility for federal incentives for large buildings.
660 Fifth Avenue
Local Law 97 Carbon Emissions Calculator
This calculator tool estimates a building's NYC LL97 carbon penalties and compliance.
High Rise / Low Carbon Event Series: Nimble Brains for Complex Systems
Webinar discussing the shift to integrated digital and natural energy systems in buildings for effective decarbonization.
Decarbonization Roadmap for Multifamily Affordable Housing
This best practice manual is designed for multifamily affordable housing deep retrofits.
About Resource Efficient Decarbonization
Provides a detailed overview of the Resource Efficient Decarbonization framework with example building system typologies.
Guide to Selecting High-Performance Commercial Spaces
Information on the essential building systems and performance for commercial tenants to evaluate when leasing new office spaces.
Breaking Down the Inflation Reduction Act
A list of all of the IRA, the BIL, and related federal policies and incentives.
The Victory
Energy conservation analysis at midtown tower
Energy & Carbon Modeling Guide
A process guide for developing an energy model to support building decarbonization planning.
Financing Decarbonization Retrofits
This page explores financing options for decarbonization projects.
Resource Efficient Decarbonization Guide
A guide outlining the resource-efficient methods for reducing emissions in tall buildings located in cold climates.
PENN 1
ULI Federal Funding Opportunities
A resource hub for the real estate industry to leverage federal infrastructure funds.
High Rise / Low Carbon Event Series: Take the Heat!
Webinar featuring projects deploying breakthrough heating & cooling recovery solutions across the commercial and multifamily buildings sector.
Federal Commercial Building Incentives
A brief on funding for commercial new construction and upgrades under recent federal laws, including the IRA.
Terminology & Definitions
A comprehensive glossary related to building decarbonization.
601 Lexington Avenue
Iconic midtown tower modernizes by recycling heat
High Rise / Low Carbon Event Series: Keep the Outside Out
Webinar on high-performance envelope retrofits for maintaining quality indoor environments and reducing heating/cooling demand.
Working Toward Net Zero: Best Practices and Examples to Engage Tenants in Sustainability Webinar
Webinar discussing strategies for real estate companies to enhance sustainability through tenant engagement, including green leasing and data collection.
The Towers
High Rise / Low Carbon Event Series: Advanced Ventilation Goes Mainstream
Webinar on modern ventilation systems and their role in building electrification.
A Rational Approach to Large Building Decarbonization
NESEA explores the power of incremental steps, integrated design, and strategic planning in building decarbonization.
345 Hudson
Roadmap of Building Provisions in IRA
USGBC's presentation of details for IRA incentives.
Technical Barriers to Decarbonization
Discover technical questions and barriers encountered by building owners and developers during decarbonization projects.
Low Carbon Multifamily Retrofit Playbooks
Multifamily playbooks with strategies for buildings transitioning to electric systems.
Seven Misconceptions About Decarbonization
NYSERDA debunks common decarbonization myths and offers solutions.
RMI’s Guide to Federal Clean Energy Incentives
A sspreadsheet of IRA funding programs published by the White House.
59-17 Junction Boulevard
Empire Technology Prize
This technology competition for solution providers seeks innovative heating solutions to reduce greenhouse gases in NYC's tall buildings.
High Rise / Low Carbon Event Series: Financing Deep Retrofits
Webinar on long-term planning/financing for deep retrofits.
Guide to High-Performance Office Fit-Outs
This fit-out guide outlines key considerations and strategies for designing and implementing high-performance office spaces.
Guidebook to the Inflation Reduction Act’s Investments in Clean Energy and Climate Action
A high-level overview of the Inflation Reduction Act’s programs, eligibility, and funding purposes.
10 Principles for Climate Mitigation Policies
Report for cities on engaging real estate in driving climate mitigation policies.
Guide to Creating Sustainability-focused Marketing Materials
A guide on which building systems and performance attributes to include in sustainability-focused marketing materials.
Intervention Points and Best Practices
A ranked list of short-, medium-, and long-term decarbonization interventions according to industry best practices.
Guidebook to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)
A high-level summary of available funding under the BIL.
Whitney Young Manor
Occupiers and Owners: Faster and Further on the Pathway to Decarbonisation Together
A ULI report justifying the need for collaboration between property owners and occupiers to prevent increased emissions.
Urban Green Council’s Grid Ready Report
A study on the impact of heat pump conversion on NYC’s electricity grid needs.
High-Performance Clause for a Letter of Intent
This sample Letter of Intent clause supports the inclusion of high-performance language within a commercial office lease.
Kicking Off Decarbonization Projects
A how-to guide for starting your decarbonization project successfully.
Clean Energy Tax Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act
A table with key tax provisions for building decarbonization.
High Rise / Low Carbon Event Series: Sharing Heat
Webinar on hydronic systems, thermal networks, and waste heat recovery, supporting the Empire Building Challenge.
Economic & Financial Analysis Guide
A holistic tool for evaluating CO2 reduction techniques from a techno-economic perspective.
Training & Educational Resources for Building Stakeholders
A collection of educational opportunities for stakeholders interested in high-performance buildings.
Better Buildings Funding and Incentives Resource Hub
This tool helps building owners find rebates, funding opportunities, and other incentives.
Thermal Energy Networks for Decarbonization Webinar
Webinar reviewing new design strategies for low carbon retrofit technologies, with a focus on thermal energy networks.
Guide to Developing High-Performance Leases
Guidance for including high-performance lease language in commercial office leases.
Advanced Building Construction Collaborative Case Studies
Comprehensive cold-climate, multifamily case studies in Boston, MA.
Empire Technology Prize Market Insight Report
This report highlights technical challenges and market opportunities of heating system decarbonization.
Tenant Engagement in Decarbonization Planning
A "how-to" on engaging tenants in energy efficiency and carbon reduction efforts.
Net Zero Energy Leasing
RMI’s guidelines on green leasing for enhancing sustainability in commercial leases.
Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency
A comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency at the federal, state, local, and utility levels.
That’s everything we have so far, new resources are added to the library regularly.
