BE-Ex Launches Training on Climate Ready Buildings for Affordable Housing Project Teams
The Building Energy Exchange launches the Climate Ready Buildings Training to educate affordable housing project teams on ways to design and construct energy efficient buildings that are resilient against the increasing pressures of climate change, align with New York’s climate goals, and improve tenant wellbeing.
The three-hour training, developed by Building Energy Exchange with NYC Housing Preservation & Development (NYC HPD), NYS Homes and Community Renewal (NYS HCR), and Steven Winter Associates, and supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), will enable project teams to design and construct buildings that can withstand future climate risks, while offering affordable, energy efficient, and healthful spaces for residents.
Project teams pursuing funding from NYC HPD are required to take this course to meet the agency’s funding requirements.
On September 26, Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex), New York City’s high-performance building center of excellence, announces the Climate Ready Buildings Training, produced in partnership with NYC Housing Preservation & Development (NYC HPD), NYS Homes and Community Renewal (NYS HCR) and Steven Winter Associates. This training, offered in both live in-person and virtual on-demand formats, will help building owners, designers, and builders understand New York’s climate laws, the latest City and State design requirements, and strategies for energy efficient, resilient, and healthful affordable housing.
The training is supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and is geared towards professionals in the affordable housing sector, including building developers and managers, architects, engineers, and contractors, that serve disadvantaged communities across New York State. While focused on affordable housing, the training is also relevant to a wide array of professionals involved in both market-rate and affordable housing development—from government agencies to real estate financers.
“We are excited to have a new training module that will help building owners, designers and builders understand NYC’s newest climate laws and HPD’s new design requirements – with a focus on the high-performance and climate resilient design strategies that will enable all HPD projects to be ‘Climate Ready’ in the face of increasing climate risk,” said Jen Leone, Chief Sustainability Officer, New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD).
“It is essential for everyone in New York’s buildings sector to have the necessary skills and knowledge to construct and preserve sustainable homes that will provide a healthy environment for residents. I urge every developer and their team to sign up for this essential training and learn how they can better help us take a big step forward in combating climate change. Thanks to NYSERDA for providing funding, HPD and BE-Ex, and the team at HCR for making this important program possible. Together we've created a dynamic program that will help developers of any size meet our ambitious climate objectives.
The three-hour course is broken into five parts. Part 1, Climate Change in New York, contextualizes the impacts of climate change in New York, highlighting the regulations, policies, and codes that aim to mitigate these impacts. Part 2, Designing a Climate Ready Building, takes a deep dive into the design principles and construction strategies needed to futureproof buildings against climate change risks, improve occupant health, increase efficiency, and reduce operating costs. Part 3, Implementing Climate Ready Design, underpins the importance of the integrative design process in achieving well-defined, project-specific climate objectives, while staying on budget and schedule.
Two final sections provide overviews of guidelines and requirements for projects pursuing NYS HCR funding (Part 4A), and/or NYC HPD funding (Part 4B). Teams pursuing financing from NYC HPD are required to take this training to meet the agency’s funding requirements.
“This training will equip project teams with the skills to not only reduce energy use, emissions, and operational costs, but to futureproof their buildings against increasingly intense climate risks, strengthen community resilience, and improve tenant health and safety. BE-Ex is proud to have supported the development of this much-needed resource in collaboration with HPD, HCR, and NYSERDA, and look forward to training professionals across the state, showcasing ‘Climate Ready’ as the new normal,” said Richard Yancey, Executive Director, Building Energy Exchange.
The Climate Ready Buildings Training will be delivered live, in person at Building Energy Exchange in downtown Manhattan, with the next delivery scheduled for January 23.
The training will also be available online, via BE-Ex Ed, Building Energy Exchange’s on- demand e-learning platform.
The Climate Ready Buildings Training is among a suite of trainings and resources developed by BE-Ex to accelerate the transformation of the built environment towards a more energy efficient, resilient, affordable, and healthful future. The training follows the release of the related Decarbonization Roadmap for Multifamily Affordable Housing report, produced in partnership with NYC HPD, NYSERDA, and Bright Power Inc., to help affordable housing project teams meet local climate objectives while improving tenant wellbeing.
“NYSERDA is pleased to partner with other state and city agencies to support this timely and informative training through Building Energy Exchange that will provide building owners, builders and developers with guidance for designing and constructing affordable, resilient and healthy homes. Through this training, we are equipping the building sector with the knowledge and understanding of climate rules and regulations that are now as much a part of this work as the equipment and materials they use as we collaborate on advancing an energy efficient climate friendly future in New York.
BE-Ex is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the effects of climate change by improving the built environment. BE-Ex accelerates the transition to healthy, comfortable, and energy efficient buildings by serving as a resource and trusted expert to the building industry.
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Contact:
Katie Schwamb
Director, Educational Resources
ks@be-exchange.org
www.be-exchange.org
www.be-exchange.org/climate-ready-buildings-training
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