Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that New York State is progressing with its Clean Heat for All Challenge, a joint venture among the New York Power Authority (NYPA), New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).
The initiative aims to develop new electrification products to meet the heating and cooling requirements of multifamily buildings and accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels.
This winter, 72 cold climate packaged window heat pump units will be installed in NYCHA apartments. These units are designed to provide both heating and cooling while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. Data will be collected throughout the winter to evaluate the performance of these units, setting the stage for the subsequent installation of 30,000 more units in the coming years.
Governor Hochul emphasized that the initiative directly tackles the issue of building-related carbon emissions, which are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in New York. “By investing in energy-efficient heat pumps at NYCHA facilities, we are ensuring affordable, comfortable housing for all New Yorkers,” said Hochul.
The Clean Heat for All Challenge is considered a significant step toward meeting the state’s decarbonization goals. By focusing on existing multifamily buildings, which are often difficult to retrofit for energy efficiency, the program aims to create scalable solutions that can be applied statewide and potentially serve as a model for other regions.