Join NYSERDA and the Building Energy Exchange for the next event in our Empire Building Challenge educational series, High Rise / Low Carbon, focusing on long term capital planning and financing deep retrofit work. Short term return-on-investment calculations are a frequent barrier to better performing buildings, leaving the many benefits of decarbonization out of reach for building occupants and exposing owners and investors to the future risks of holding a stranded asset. Future proofing buildings from anticipated regulations–from carbon emissions to human health–requires longer term thinking and innovative financing models.

Typical return-on-investment analysis only accounts for immediate reductions in utility costs, and often compares retrofitting a building with doing nothing at all, ignoring real world complexity. A number of organizations are undertaking processes that account for the net-present-value of retrofit measures, and are benefitting from new tools that allow comparisons of various phasing options. Costs remain among the most critical single factors in decision making, but comparing costs against both existing capital commitments and against future potential financial risks can often reveal significant returns and transform the prospects for more progressive decarbonization projects.

Our panel will discuss different approaches to these challenges and explore how this long term approach can provide owners with greater control, reducing costly and disruptive emergency outlays.

Join us at this event developed to support the Empire Building Challenge and other NYSERDA programs exploring how to move beyond simple payback analysis to allow value over time to guide decisions and enable the efficient phasing of building improvements that hugely enhance comfort and health while meeting the goals of our City and State climate action plans.

Intro Remarks:
Greg Hale, Senior Advisor for Energy Efficiency Markets, NYSERDA

Moderator:
Sadie McKeown, President, Community Preservation Corporation (CPC)

Panelists/Presenters:
Lane Burt, Managing Principal, Ember Strategies
Grayson Hoffmann, Investment Manager, Norges Bank Investment Management
Erangi Dias, Director of Business Development, NYCEEC
David Davenport, Managing Director, NY Green Bank

Closing Remarks:
Sophie Cardona, Senior Project Manager, NYSERDA