NYC Selected as Finalist for C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Award, Spotlighting NYCHA’s Sustainability Agenda

Recognizing its leadership in addressing climate change, New York City was selected as one of 20 finalists for the 2022 C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Award. The awards celebrate the most ambitious and impactful projects or programs spearheaded by cities from around the world to tackle the climate crisis. The theme of this year’s awards is “United in Action,” and NYC is a contender in the category of “United to accelerate immediate action in critical sectors” for NYCHA’s Sustainability Agenda.

NYCHA’s Sustainability Agenda outlines transformative strategies and technologies that can cut emissions across its buildings by 80 percent by 2050 while also protecting its buildings and residents from the impacts of climate change, such as extreme heat and severe storms. Programming involving carbon reduction and energy is a key focus of NYCHA’s Sustainability Agenda.

NYCHA is committed to installing a total of 30 megawatts (MW) of solar panels on its rooftops by 2026; this is on top of NYC’s 100 MW target of solar installations on municipal buildings by 2025. NYCHA has already installed over 5 MW at five developments.

Groundbreaking electrification solutions that reduce reliance on fossil fuels for heating and cooling are also a fundamental part of the Sustainability Agenda. Through the Clean Heat for All Challenge, NYCHA, in partnership with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and New York Power Authority (NYPA), selected two manufacturers to develop new cold-climate heat pumps that can be easily installed in apartment windows within two hours. NYCHA will buy 30,000 of these heat pumps, quickly enabling low-cost electrification as well as reliable heating and cooling for thousands of residents. In addition, NYCHA is deploying geothermal energy solutions and electric induction stoves at select buildings as part of the Sustainability Agenda.

The Sustainability Agenda efforts are also creating job opportunities for residents: over 300 residents have been hired as part of its sustainability work, and another 40 were trained in solar programs. To enhance green job opportunities for residents, NYCHA and the Fund for Public Housing recently established the Clean Energy Academy to train 100 residents over two years for careers in the clean energy sector.

“I’m so proud that NYCHA is beginning to get the global recognition it deserves for its pathbreaking work to improve conditions for tenants and avert climate catastrophe,” said Rohit T. Aggarwala, New York City’s Chief Climate Officer. “Like all of us, NYCHA has a lot to accomplish, but energy, creative thinking, and ambition will always get stuff done.”

“NYCHA’s Sustainability Agenda exemplifies New York City’s leadership on inclusive climate action,” said Kizzy Charles-Guzman, Executive Director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice. “Transformational technology, pathways to green jobs, and a commitment to collaboration with residents are essential to fighting the climate crisis while building an equitable future for all New Yorkers. We are honored to be selected as a finalist for the C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards.”

“NYCHA created the Sustainability Agenda to address immediate and long-term concerns about the impacts of climate change, and to create sustainable ways to decarbonize and provide a cleaner future for our residents,” said NYCHA Chair & CEO Greg Russ. “We are pleased that our innovative and transformative work has made New York City a finalist for the C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards. We will continue to work hard to meet our climate goals, while strengthening our communities and providing opportunities for residents.”

Resident engagement is critical to NYCHA’s progress. Vlada Kenniff, the Authority’s Senior Vice President for Sustainability, explained: “To foster a culture of sustainability that resonates with residents, NYCHA conducted a robust resident and stakeholder engagement process for the Sustainability Agenda which involved technical panels, a community-based organization roundtable, draft document review period, and workshop series with residents. Through this collaborative process, NYCHA made sure that the voices of stakeholders – particularly residents – were heard in building NYCHA’s vision for sustainability.”

The winners of the awards will be announced at the C40 World Mayors Summit in Buenos Aires this October. In congratulating the finalists for their “bold and innovative” projects, Sadiq Khan, Chair of C40 Cities and the Mayor of London, said, “Cities, local leaders, and mayors are leading the way when it comes to tackling the climate emergency – and by harnessing their ambition and vision, we can help cities around the world become greener, fairer, and more sustainable.”

C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities who are working to deliver the urgent action needed to confront the climate crisis and create a future where everyone, everywhere can thrive. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to help the world limit global heating and build healthy, equitable, and resilient communities.