Decarbonizing Mass Market Buildings

In conjunction with The Clean Fight New York, a not–for–profit climate tech accelerator supported by NYSERDA and the Department of Energy, OurEnergyPolicy hosted two conversations examining the challenge of decarbonizing class B and C buildings, also referred to as non–luxury residential and commercial properties. Both conversations were structured to include experts from across the political spectrum and to include energy leaders with extensive experience in government, non–profit organizations, academia, real estate, law, innovation and energy efficiency services.

The roundtable discussions that resulted in this whitepaper were organized to examine the challenges of decarbonizing class B/C buildings and how to identify effective solutions. Class B/C buildings, also known as non–luxury residential and commercial buildings, are typically older properties, often in underserved communities and generally in need of updates or renovations. These properties have proven to be difficult to decarbonize due to incentive, information and resource constraints; a particular challenge since they generate the majority of the real estate sector’s carbon emissions. In order to have a robust conversation including key stakeholder opinions, our roundtable discussions featured experts within federal and municipal government, nonprofits specializing in electrification and energy efficiency programs, academia, building owners, and market transformation organizations.