Building Energy Exchange

Learn from the success stories of the Empire Building Challenge and view real-life examples of the Strategic Decarbonization Planning (SDP) process in action! Melrose and Noll Street Apartments are two neighboring, six-story, affordable housing buildings in Brooklyn, whose planned retrofits will centralize mechanical systems, electrify heating and hot water, and improve the building envelope to achieve a projected 61% reduction in energy use. Building the business case for this project demonstrates how strategic alignment with recapitalization cycles, combined with roughly $7M in available incentives and tax credits, can unlock deep decarbonization while delivering meaningful operational savings and improving resident health and comfort. Read more about this project: /resource/melrose-noll-st-apartments/ See other case studies at: /resources/?_content_topic=case-study The SDP Framework was developed by the Retrofit Playbook team: NYSERDA, Building Energy Exchange, ULI, and RMI.

We’re kicking off #DaylightHour 2026! ☀️ Whether you're an annual Daylighter or a first-time participant, join our global social media campaign this year by turning off your lights for one hour to reduce energy use and raise awareness of energy efficiency. 💡 Participation is easy — register your office (home offices welcome, too!) today, then simply turn off your lights on June 24th, 12-1pm local time. Don’t forget to share your involvement using #DaylightHour! 🏙️ Last year, our campaign reached 57,365 people in 505 offices across 28.6 million sq ft in 24 countries. Help us expand our reach and save even more energy this year! 👉 Learn more and register via the link in our bio or at daylighthour.org.

Calling all building owners, managers, designers, and consultants – save the date! 🗓️ On June 17th, join Building Energy Exchange and Steven Winter Associates (SWA) for our second Heat Pump Expo, sponsored by @NYSERDA . This time focusing on window heat pumps, this Expo will bring together heat pump manufacturers and industry stakeholders to spotlight critical heating and cooling solutions. See products up close, speak directly with manufacturers and experts, and explore incentives and cold-weather performance for single and multifamily buildings. The event kicks off with an open expo (drop in anytime) followed by presentations and a panel discussion with SWA, NYCHA, and NYSERDA. Wrap up the evening at a networking reception with drinks and small bites, and connect with industry peers at the Exchange this June! ⭐ RSVP & learn more (June 17, 1–7pm at the Exchange, Free) via the Upcoming Events link in our bio.

Ready for the third step in your building decarbonization plan? Designed for professionals in engineering, real estate, and technology, the Strategic Decarbonization Planning (SDP) process is a comprehensive three-step approach to retrofitting buildings that drives practical, cost-effective low-carbon retrofits in large buildings. In addition to developing your decarbonization strategy, it’s important to build a strong business case. Key stakeholders need to understand not just the environmental benefits, but the financial logic, risk profile, and strategic value of the investment. Check out our essential guide to building a strong business case for decarbonization: /planning-guide/build-the-business-case/#planning-guide The SDP Framework was developed by the Retrofit Playbook team: NYSERDA, Building Energy Exchange, ULI, and RMI.

Learn how to tackle complex retrofit projects with confidence, now at your convenience! Designed for professionals in engineering, real estate, and technology, the Strategic Decarbonization Planning (SDP) process is a comprehensive three-step approach to retrofitting buildings that drives practical, cost-effective low-carbon retrofits in large buildings. In our on-demand course, learn about the third step of the SDP framework, Building the Business Case, and delve into the financial analysis, gap analysis, and tools needed to communicate your building's decarbonization strategy effectively to key stakeholders. Take our course (1.5 AIA LU|HSW) now at BE-Ex Ed, our e-learning platform: / The SDP Framework was developed by the Retrofit Playbook team: NYSERDA, Building Energy Exchange, ULI, and RMI Buildings.

In case you missed it, last Thursday we hosted our Women in Housing and Finance (WHF) x WISE collaboration event, Building Connections, and it was an absolute blast! ✨ Women from across sustainability, energy, housing, finance, and other disciplines came together for an evening filled with thoughtful conversation, new connections, and even a little bingo (See our lovely winners attached). It was inspiring to see so many people show up with openness and curiosity, and we’re already looking forward to the next one! Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening such a success. 💚 We’re excited to keep growing and strengthening this community together. To see more photos from the event, click here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCSCdv To learn more about WHF: /page/WhoWeAre To join our WISE community: /groups/12153791/

Ready to plan your building’s low-carbon future? Organized into three steps, the Strategic Decarbonization Planning (SDP) framework includes a range of resources that equips building stakeholders with the tools and knowledge to approach building decarbonization projects with confidence. Strategic Decarbonization Planning (SDP) transforms retrofit planning into an investment strategy. Our new video explores the third step of the SDP process: translating technical plans into a compelling business case that moves the conversation from upfront costs to long-term value creation and portfolio performance. Learn more about Step 3 of the SDP process, focused on crafting a compelling business case for decarbonization projects and featuring industry experts at JB&B, @Rudin , and @RiseBoro Community Partnership: https://youtu.be/Pc8D68vULAw Read more about the project here: /resource/melrose-noll-st-apartments/ The SDP Framework was developed by the Retrofit Playbook team: @NYSERDA , Building Energy Exchange, @urbanlandinstitute , and @rockymtninst .

Local Law 97 is one of the biggest challenges facing NYC buildings right now. Is your building ready? Richard Yancey, CEO of @beex_ny , joins us to break down what the law means and how buildings can prepare for what’s next. Listen at the link in our bio or wherever you get your podcasts. #RealTalkNYC

To celebrate Earth Week, BE-Ex and Energy by 5 hosted a networking evening centered around high-impact retrofits in commercial real estate! Experts from our Industry Leadership Council delivered brief but impactful presentations, sharing practical strategies for integrating energy efficiency into leases, capital plans, and tenant turnovers, while highlighting tech-enabled solutions to drive decarbonization in the building industry. 🏙️ Afterward. attendees from across sustainability, real estate, finance, and energy fields came together over drinks and small bites! Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Exchange and to our amazing speakers! 💚 - Ryan Baxter, Carbon Strategist, Energy by 5 - Alana Tunstead, Principal, Arup - Sam Mason, Director, CodeGreen Solutions - Sigal Shemesh, Director, Climate and Decarbonization, JLL - Stacie Livingston, Senior Manager, Sustainability, Hines - Wilson Patinho, America’s Offices Infrastructure Team Leader, Bloomberg ⭐ ICYMI, watch the event recording and access the slides + photo album at: /earth-week-networking-2026/

Last Wednesday, BE-Ex, in collaboration with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice, NYSERDA, the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), and the Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums (CNYC) hosted a launch event for a new suite of interactive resources to help co-op and condo boards and property managers decarbonize their building. Attendees learned about the Cutting Carbon in Co-ops & Condos initiative, how Strategic Decarbonization Planning (SDP) can be used for building retrofits, and heard directly from a co-op board member on how a Bronx co-op is successfully implementing this work. Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Exchange & online, and to our wonderful speakers! 💚 ⭐ ICYMI, watch the event recording, access the slides, & explore the photo album via the Past Events link in our bio.

Designed for professionals in engineering, real estate, and technology, the Strategic Decarbonization Planning (SDP) process is a comprehensive three-step approach to retrofitting large buildings that delivers practical, cost-effective low-carbon retrofits. The first step is to examine current conditions—set the stage for success by thoroughly understanding how your building operates and where strategic sequencing can unlock the greatest impact. Check out our essential guide to building conditions assessment, containing a flexible set of strategies that can be tailored to your building, team, and timeline, here: /planning-guide/initiating-a-project/ The SDP Framework was developed by the Retrofit Playbook team: NYSERDA, Building Energy Exchange, ULI, and RMI.

March might be long behind us, but we’re still celebrating the women powering climate progress, starting with Beki Kabanzira ✨ As Pilots Associate at LACI, Beki runs the day-to-day of the BAT Pilots program, supporting climate tech startups as they test and demonstrate real-world solutions at the Brooklyn Army Terminal. She’s also the key point of contact for companies, helping coordinate logistics and keep projects moving. She is inspired by the women who raised her, especially her mother, a former member of Parliament in Uganda, who led through listening, advocacy, and community care. That foundation of “Obuntu”, or community well-being, continues to guide her work today. Read more about Beki and what else inspires her here: /insight/wise-women-powering-progress/ One last highlight coming next, so stay tuned! #WomenPoweringProgress #WomensHistoryMonth #WomenInSustainability