Press Release: BE-Ex Launches New Resources to Cut Carbon in NYC Cooperatives and Condominiums
In partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and the Real Estate Board of New York, the Building Energy Exchange launches a new suite of critical resources to aid co-op and condo buildings in designing strategic decarbonization plans for their buildings.
The interactive guide and accompanying resources will equip co-op and condo board members and their property managers with the skills they need to navigate local sustainability laws, reduce operating costs, improve resident health and comfort, and enhance the value of their properties.
New York, NY – April 13, 2026 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex), New York City’s high-performance building center of excellence, in partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ), the Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums (CNYC Inc.), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYESRDA), and the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) announces the release of Cutting Carbon in Co-ops & Condos. This suite of interactive resources, including a strategic decarbonization planning tool, case studies, and a financing guide, will help boards of co-operatives and condominiums, as well as the property management firms that represent them, develop long-term decarbonization plans, execute strategic building retrofit projects, and comply with Local Law 97 (LL97).
NYC’s multifamily co-operatives and condominiums are critical sources of affordable housing for hundreds of thousands of working families and face uniquely challenging financial, technical, and organizational barriers to decarbonization. This package of resources helps boards and property managers generate actionable decarbonization roadmaps that preserve affordability, align with typical capital cycles, and take advantage of LL97’s long-term glide path towards carbon neutrality in 2050.
“These resources are serving an essential segment of the building sector, and we hope that co-ops and condos are empowered to incorporate decarbonization into their capital planning to not only meet their compliance deadlines, reduce costs, and improve efficiency, but also to maintain affordability and increase asset value,” said Richard Yancey, FAIA, LEED AP, Chief Executive Officer, Building Energy Exchange.
“New York City’s co-ops and condos are critical anchors of affordability yet face some of the toughest hurdles to modernizing their buildings and complying with Local Law 97. MOCEJ is proud to have contributed to the development of Building Energy Exchange’s resource, which empower boards and managers to craft practical, cost-effective decarbonization roadmaps that align with capital cycles, preserve affordability, and improve quality of life for shareholders.
The core workbook is organized into five discrete steps: Initiate the Project, which outlines how to define roles and responsibilities and mobilize boards to action; Assess Current Conditions, which helps teams understand their building’s technical and financial conditions; Develop a Plan, which guides teams through the process of developing a long-term capital plan that strategically phases in solution over time; Execute the Plan, which helps team find qualified vendors, determine financial resources and incentives; and Monitor & Report, which guides teams through the process of compliance reporting. Each step has an accompanying checklist, which lays out discrete actions to guide users through the process and track their progress towards goals.
Underpinning the workbook’s guidance is the Strategic Decarbonization Planning framework, which helps produce cost-effective plans that are responsive to key “trigger events,” like equipment end-of-life or mortgage refinancing. This framework, inspired by learnings from NYSERDA’s Empire Building Challenge program and related Retrofit Playbook for Large Buildings knowledge platform, recognizes that deep decarbonization is not an overnight process, but a phased approach of specific, intentionally sequenced actions over time in an efficient and cost-effective manner. This new resource guides stakeholders step-by-step through the planning process and identifies key supporters, like consulting engineers and case managers from the City’s free NYC Accelerator program, who can help along the way.
Susanne DesRoches, Senior Vice President of Clean and Resilient Buildings, NYSERDA, said “We are proud to have supported the development of these vital strategic resources that will enable the expansion of clean heating and cooling technology within the multifamily sector. With these tools, co-op and condo buildings will be better equipped to pursue efficiency upgrades to save energy and improve resident quality of life.”
“Co-ops and condos are home to so many New Yorkers, and for the people who run these buildings, navigating sustainability requirements can feel overwhelming. These new resources aim to make this process more manageable, giving boards and property managers clear, practical guidance to reduce emissions, comply with Local Law 97, and plan for the future without putting unnecessary strain on residents. I commend the Building Energy Exchange for their leadership in developing these tools and helping move our city toward a more sustainable future.
“Thanks to the City’s supportive approach towards implementation of Local Law 97, we now have thousands of co-ops and condo building across the city engaged in achieving carbon emissions reductions,” said Laura Popa, Deputy Commissioner of Sustainability, New York City Department of Buildings. “In the first reporting year, we saw over 90% of buildings submit their compliance filings as required under the law. By making more supportive tools available to property owners, BE-Ex is helping to boost the numbers even higher for the compliance years ahead.”
Beyond technical guidance, Cutting Carbon in Co-ops & Condos helps users navigate unique governance challenges boards face as they work to improve the energy and carbon performance of their buildings. Informed by successful case studies and industry insights, the workbook walks users through the process of assembling a project team, defining roles and responsibilities, communicating project benefits, generating buy-in, and other relevant organizational best practices.
“Today, too many co-op and condos are searching for cost-effective ways to reduce their emissions and comply with local law. This resource provides clear, actionable guidance to help co-op and condo boards navigate these increasingly complex laws. By supporting their strategic planning, this tool will help buildings manage costs and improve performance,” said Zachary Steinberg, Executive Vice President for External Relations and Advocacy, Real Estate Board of New York.
Mary Ann Rothman, Executive Director, Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums (CNYC Inc.) said, “These new resources will complement CNYC’s ongoing educational programming and initiatives designed to help co-ops and condos chart a rational pathway toward decarbonization. We are happy to share them with our members and the broader co-op and condo community.”
Donna De Costanzo, Regional Director, Northeast, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) said “These critical resources will help support affordable housing and working families by raising awareness and capacity for New York City’s co-ops and condos to transition to high-performance buildings, distributing the benefits of electrification and efficiency more equitably for decades to come.”
“Buildings are the biggest polluters in our city, and cutting these emissions is a crucial step in tackling the threat of climate change. Local Law 97 will dramatically decarbonize New York City, but it can be challenging for property owners to navigate compliance alone. Building Energy Exchange has been a crucial resource for buildings in District 33, and I’m excited for this new suite of resources to help demystify the decarbonization process for co-op and condo board members, property managers, and building owners.
Cutting Carbon in Co-ops & Condos: Strategic Decarbonization Planning for Local Law 97 and Beyond is now available digitally on Building Energy Exchange’s website. To celebrate the release of this resource, BE-Ex is hosting a public launch on April 15th, from 9-11am, with project partners and representatives from Sherman Terrace, a Bronx-based co-op that has put the strategic decarbonization planning framework into practice to reduce operating costs, improve tenant comfort, and comply with LL97 through 2034.
Over the course of the next year, BE-Ex, MOCEJ, and select project partners will host community workshops for co-operative shareholders and condominium owners across the five boroughs to walk through the strategic decarbonization planning process and connect boards to project teams from locally relevant case studies, city administrators, and service providers.
The Building Energy Exchange (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. BE-Ex creates educational programs, tools, and exhibits that connect building decision makers to everyday energy efficiency solutions and high-performance building technologies. Our downtown center of excellence provides inspirational and informative trainings, events, and exhibits that lead to action, creating a community of engaged leaders.
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Contact:
Hailey Moll
Manager, Educational Resources
hm@be-exchange.org
603-391-2423
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