The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has allocated $5 million to support building solutions that can be demonstrated in existing buildings, including small- to medium-sized commercial, multifamily and single-family buildings, the department announced Friday.
Through the Enabling Innovative Clean Energy Building Solutions program, the funding aims to accelerate the market-readiness of new and emerging clean energy and energy efficiency technologies that can help to manage future energy use, enhance energy efficiency and lower operating costs in buildings across the state, NYSERDA says.
“By addressing critical areas like clean heating and cooling, energy efficiency, and building decarbonization, NYSERDA … will not only help the State meet its climate goals but also support long-term resilience and cost savings for tenants and building owners across New York State,” Richard Yancey, CEO of the Building Energy Exchange, said in a statement.
The program seeks applications for projects and programs that demonstrate the “latest innovations in integrated systems, materials and technologies that can greatly improve building or home performance, reduce costs, and/or improve resiliency,” NYSERDA said.
The maximum funding for each selected proposal is $1 million, with eligible projects being required to have been previously awarded funding from a federal, state or local government entity — besides NYSERDA — foundation or non-profit to develop an innovative clean building technology product or solution, per the release.
Eligible funding areas include solutions related to building envelopes, such as components or materials that improve performance or enable building envelope retrofit; clean heating and cooling; intelligent grid-interactive building controls; low-global warming potential refrigerant applications and leak detection; or thermal storage.
Clean heating and cooling solutions include new heat pump equipment, ground source systems and hybrid systems, with grid-interactive building controls including those that enable electric load and energy asset management. Thermal storage solutions that integrate heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment that improves performance or enables thermal networks are also eligible, according to the release.
Proposals are due June 4, with more information available on the NYSERDA website and in an April 10 webinar.
The funding follows other award programs launched by the state, including the Clean Heat for All: Packaged Terminal Heat Pump program, which will provide $10 million in total prizes for building owners and HVAC equipment manufacturers to advance heating and cooling techniques for use in large buildings across the state.
