$50 Million Empire Building Challenge Announced to Combat Climate Change and Create Jobs

Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced the launch of the Empire Building Challenge, a $50 million initiative proposed during his 2020 State of the State address to transform existing multifamily and commercial high-rise buildings and substantially reduce the carbon footprint of these structures. The challenge will advance low-carbon retrofit approaches resulting in heating and cooling solutions that will increase the comfort, sustainability, and energy performance of the state’s existing high-rise buildings, a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Buildings currently account for 45 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from fuel combustion and electric generation. This announcement advances Governor Cuomo’s nation-leading clean energy and climate agenda which mandates an 85 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, placing the state on path to economy-wide carbon-neutrality.

Click here for the full announcement.

Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo