BuildingEnergy NYC 2024 Evaluations
Thank you for joining us at BuildingEnergy NYC 2024. Please help us continue to improve this event:
- Evaluate the entire conference
- Evaluate the sessions you attended below
NESEA staff will share your feedback with next year’s conference planning committee to guide the design and content of BuildingEnergy NYC 2025. Questions? Contact Ben Sachs-Hamilton, Conference Director, at bsachs-hamilton@nesea.org.
Thursday
| Session Title | Time | Speakers | |
|---|---|---|---|
KEYNOTE — Billions for Buildings: Transformational Federal Funding for Sustainable ProjectsKEYNOTE — Billions for Buildings: Transformational Federal Funding for Sustainable ProjectsWe have arrived at a pivotal moment as an industry—a moment when we have both tremendous willpower and resources to decarbonize and move toward a green economy. The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act brought with it enormous potential, and we are now seeing that potential catalyzed into tangible and accessible financial products to support the clean energy transition. This year’s BuildingEnergy NYC keynote will address the lasting impacts of this landmark legislation, including how its implementation will change our approach both to individual projects and to their place in the broader... Full Description |
9:00 am to 10:00 am |
| Session Title | Time | Speakers | |
|---|---|---|---|
Clean Energy from Dirty Water: Wastewater Energy Transfer (WET) System ShowcaseClean Energy from Dirty Water: Wastewater Energy Transfer (WET) System ShowcaseNew York City's clean energy goals require deep energy retrofits and innovative technologies for compliance. Wastewater energy transfer (WET) systems, which extract thermal energy from wastewater for reuse in building systems, are one technology that is scalable for many building systems. Our discussion will utilize a real project in New York City to discuss building candidates, the benefits and challenges of design and implementation, and the difficulties encountered in planning and installing a real system. |
10:30 am to 11:30 am | ||
Decarbonizing NYC Offices: Opportunities & Strategies for SuccessDecarbonizing NYC Offices: Opportunities & Strategies for SuccessCommercial tenant spaces are a critical component to compliance with Local Law 97. Join an insightful discussion between building owners, tenants, and legal representatives about driving decarbonization in leased office spaces by changing business-as-usual to prioritize energy savings and emissions reductions at key stages of the leasing cycle. These new practices endeavor to create more sustainable, efficient, and healthy workplaces that meet local and state regulations. The principles and strategies shared from these office examples can apply to other tenant types in mixed-use buildings... Full Description |
10:30 am to 11:30 am | ||
Is Technology a Hero or a Villain in the Quest to Reduce Whole-Life Carbon?Is Technology a Hero or a Villain in the Quest to Reduce Whole-Life Carbon?Embodied carbon accounting has made significant strides, yet challenges persist. Understanding the underlying assumptions behind EC calculations for each building element is crucial to accurate life cycle analyses, particularly on projects aiming for net-zero carbon and using newer technologies. Integrating ground source heat pumps for minimal operational carbon and mass timber for reduced embodied carbon, the Information & Computer Sciences building at the University of Massachusetts Amherst also strategically employs electrochromic glass to manage cooling loads and enhance energy... Full Description |
10:30 am to 11:30 am | ||
Winning Formula for LL97 Success: Adopt a Change Management Playbook!Winning Formula for LL97 Success: Adopt a Change Management Playbook!After the euphoria of opening a new or renovated building, many institutions struggle to manage the increasing complexity and resource demands for building operations and maintenance. The City University of New York (CUNY) developed an innovative Change Management Playbook that addresses these challenges. Implementing a “Boots and Suits” approach to secure buy-in from the facility staff to Senior Leadership, this programmatic solution created a pathway to achieve decarbonization goals. |
10:30 am to 11:30 am |
| Session Title | Time | Speakers | |
|---|---|---|---|
Beyond Passive House: Emerging Research from NYSERDA BoE Early Phase FundingBeyond Passive House: Emerging Research from NYSERDA BoE Early Phase FundingNYSERDA's Early Design Support Buildings of Excellence partners will showcase three affordable Passive House multi-family projects, each featuring a variety of electrification and decarbonization strategies. Magnusson Architecture and Planning, Curtis+Ginsberg Architects, and Paul Castrucci Architects will present their ongoing research on electrification strategies, integrating renewable energy, the value add of ERVs, embodied carbon strategies, and calculations to meet zero carbon such as ILFI's Zero Carbon framework. They will also address the availability of low-carbon... Full Description |
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | ||
Counting the True Cost of Carbon to Make the Case for Deep Energy RetrofitsCounting the True Cost of Carbon to Make the Case for Deep Energy RetrofitsThere is considerable debate about the relative benefits of electrification with heat pumps and envelope improvements. It has been suggested that Deep Energy Retrofits (DERs) are impractical & not cost effective. However, when an accurate Social Cost of Carbon is considered, DERs begin to look much more financially feasible. We apply a systems thinking lens to explore how carbon emissions are valued. We will present two multifamily DER examples to show the operational and embodied carbon reduction potential. |
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | ||
GGRF: Utilizing New Funds to Catalyze Investments in Multifamily DecarbonizationGGRF: Utilizing New Funds to Catalyze Investments in Multifamily DecarbonizationTogether, Climate United and Power Forward were awarded nearly $9 billion through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund. This session will dive into two of the awarded coalitions to explore how use of these federal dollars can transform capital markets and create meaningful change in the multifamily sector. |
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | ||
Integrating Compliance with Compassion: Meeting Communities Where They AreIntegrating Compliance with Compassion: Meeting Communities Where They AreAs we move towards a carbon neutral future, how do we ensure affordable housing isn't left behind? This session will help industry professionals connect the dots between the Climate Mobilization Act and affordable housing. Due to historical disinvestment, inflation, and a looming housing crisis, communities living in affordable housing often struggle financially. The NYC Accelerator offers free assistance to these buildings, helping them avoid penalties and promote preservation while promoting climate action. |
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm |
| Session Title | Time | Speakers | |
|---|---|---|---|
NYS Electrification Pilot Programs: Paving the Way for Widespread ElectrificationNYS Electrification Pilot Programs: Paving the Way for Widespread ElectrificationNYS and NYC have created substantial resources to stand up first-in-the-nation grant and subsidy programs aimed at deeply incentivizing beneficial electrification in retrofits of existing multifamily buildings. This session will highlight three unique strategies through case studies of committed and completed projects. This session will also delve into the design and specification of systems in electrification retrofit projects, as well as data collected throughout the program design, construction, and operation processes. |
1:45 pm to 2:45 pm | ||
Policy Process Panel: Demystifying Codes & Standards DevelopmentPolicy Process Panel: Demystifying Codes & Standards DevelopmentNational model codes serve as an essential tool for policymakers to drive progress on climate goals. In this panel, representatives from the International Code Council (ICC), NYSERDA, and the New Buildings Institute (NBI) will discuss the codes and standards development process, and how it connects to policy and practice at the local and building scale. |
1:45 pm to 2:45 pm | ||
REVIVE 2024: A Streamlined Retrofit Design FrameworkREVIVE 2024: A Streamlined Retrofit Design FrameworkBuilding retrofits need to scale now, but face many constraints that create pressure on project teams, making it difficult to design optimal retrofit solutions. In response, Phius has developed REVIVE 2024, a new standard for passive building retrofits with a supporting software tool. The standard is guided by thermal resilience as a leveling metric, and a whole building life cycle cost analysis (including the cost of embodied and operational carbon) to help choose an optimal retrofit package. The result is a cost-effective retrofit with minimal embodied carbon. A commissioning process... Full Description |
1:45 pm to 2:45 pm |
| Session Title | Time | Speakers | |
|---|---|---|---|
IRA Incentives for Multifamily Decarbonization: What Works, What Doesn't, and What's Coming?IRA Incentives for Multifamily Decarbonization: What Works, What Doesn't, and What's Coming?Join us for a session delving into the realities of using IRA incentives for multifamily decarbonization projects. A presentation of case studies will outline the most used IRA programs, ways to stack incentives, and methods for monetizing tax credits. Some programs have proven challenging to leverage, warranting an explanation of common roadblocks and potential solutions. The past two years have shown that accessing IRA programs requires expertise and resources that certain market actors lack. There are critical lessons learned and future programs coming out that will help get IRA funding... Full Description |
3:15 pm to 4:15 pm | ||
Meeting a Building Where It's At: A Guide to Staged ElectrificationMeeting a Building Where It's At: A Guide to Staged ElectrificationIn this session, we will discuss the capital plan and design of central plant upgrades at a 443,000 sqft multifamily building with over 500 apartments. The design includes chiller electrification, mechanical design to operate the chillers in heat pump mode for heating, water source heat pumps (WSHPs) that utilize condenser water from the chillers during the summer months, and a building management system (BMS) that integrates a sequence of operation (SOO) to engage gas-fired equipment only during peak periods. These features work together to optimize operating expenses and carbon emissions... Full Description |
3:15 pm to 4:15 pm | ||
The Water-Energy NexusThe Water-Energy NexusIt takes water to make energy and it takes energy to make water. In some buildings, the cost of water is significantly greater than the cost of HVAC+DHW energy, yet we don’t address it. Simple water retrofits can greatly increase the cash flow in a building. There are also many things that we use on a day to day basis that use immense amounts of water, and controlling this use reduces local and regional water consumption. |
3:15 pm to 4:15 pm | ||
Understanding VRF: Insights from Real-World Measured PerformanceUnderstanding VRF: Insights from Real-World Measured PerformanceThis session offers an opportunity for attendees to gain important insights into real-world performance of VRF systems and drivers that impact performance. Presenters will share results from two newly completed DOE-funded research studies focused on measured performance of VRF systems in cold climates. Come learn about the key findings, including VRF efficiency, refrigerant leakage, and the impacts of oversizing. Presenters will also discuss measurement methods and what the future of onboard measurement might look like. Leave with practical strategies to optimize VRF system performance... Full Description |
3:15 pm to 4:15 pm |
