New Yorkers have a right to good jobs and healthy communities.
Governor Hochul and New York State Legislature, it's time to UpgradeNY to support good jobs, clean air, and climate justice through union-led building decarbonization.
UpgradeNY is a collaboration of unions, climate justice advocates, building industry representatives and environmental groups calling for Gov. Hochul and New York policymakers to decarbonize state-owned buildings and schools through a local, union-led workforce.
Thermal Energy Networks for a Sustainable Future
Check out this video recapping UpGradeNY's event during during NYC's 2023 Climate Week. Hosted at the Steamfitters Local 638 Training Center in Long Island City, the event brought together stakeholders from utilities, regulators, the buildings industry, and workers and leaders from the trades to discuss the opportunities for Thermal Energy Networks to decarbonize our buildings at scale, which will help New York achieve its climate goals while building a local, diverse, union clean energy workforce.
By upgrading state-owned buildings to eliminate on-site pollution, we can create:
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A Healthier, Climate-Resilient New York
Upgrading state-owned buildings, facilities, and campuses to eliminate on-site climate pollution through the installation of efficient, modern electric technologies like heat pumps and Thermal Energy Networks will deliver cleaner air, affordable bills, and climate resilience for all.
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Local Union Jobs
Through labor standards and funding for equitable union-led workforce development programs, we can create a diverse clean energy workforce pipeline and union careers that sustain a middle-class standard of living for workers and their families.
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Climate Justice
At least 40% of investments and benefits will go toward disadvantaged communities. This means recruiting and supporting a diverse union workforce from communities disproportionately affected by climate change through pre-apprenticeship grants, stipends, and more.
Decarbonizing just 15 of New York’s highest polluting facilities and campuses would reduce on-site combustion of fossil fuels from state-owned buildings overall by 40%.
SUNY Albany Working to
Decarbonize
SUNY Albany University Energy Officer Indu Lnu demonstrates how the university is working to fully decarbonize its facilities, becoming a model for how New York can upgrade state-owned facilities with Thermal Energy Networks.
About Us
The UpgradeNY collaboration works together to advocate for affordable solutions to decarbonize New York’s buildings while creating a strong foundation for good-paying union jobs.
In 2022, the UpgradeNY collaboration successfully led the campaign to pass the Utility Thermal Energy Networks and Jobs Act, which allowed for the creation of utility-scale infrastructure projects that connect multiple buildings in a shared thermal network. This legislation will allow entire neighborhoods and communities to access affordable clean heating and cooling at a time, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, and provide a just transition for workers.
Our Goals:
The State immediately funds the construction of shovel-ready Thermal Energy Networks to decarbonize state-owned facilities.
The State develops plans to fully decarbonize 15 of their highest emitting facilities through the construction of Thermal Energy Networks or other large-scale electrification projects. These projects must be shovel-ready by 2025 and achieve at least a 30% reduction of on-site emissions from the state-owned buildings portfolio.
Reduce on-site emissions by at least 30% from the state facilities portfolio by 2025; 50% by 2030; 75% by 2035; and 100% of state facilities must be fully decarbonized by 2040.
This work must be coupled with labor standards, including prioritized recruitment and support of local workers in disadvantaged communities.
