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Empire Technology Prize
$10M
Clean Heating
For Tall
Buildings
Here’s a simple truth. If we don’t decarbonize buildings, we don’t solve the climate crisis.

Here’s a simple truth. If we don’t decarbonize buildings, we don’t solve the climate crisis.

The Empire Technology Prize is focused on finding groundbreaking solutions to tackle the greatest single source of GHG emissions from New York’s tall buildings - heating. Solutions that will be significantly easier for tall building owners to adopt - in short, high GHG reduction, minimally disruptive to install, with a path to cost competitiveness.

The launch of the prize was announced by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and is brought to you by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, with support from Wells Fargo.

Why are easy-to-adopt clean heating solutions so important?

The Empire Technology Prize was created to help tackle New York’s biggest climate challenge - buildings - which account for 70% of New York City’s GHG emissions and a third of the State’s. And it’s not just a New York problem. Buildings are the cause of 40% of global GHG emissions. The taller the building, the more complicated it is to decarbonize. It bears repeating: If we don’t decarbonize buildings, we don’t solve the climate crisis.

To focus the prize, we conducted extensive research with the real estate community, uncovering a critical area of need and market demand. Heating is the largest single source of buildings’ GHG emissions - over 30%. Heat pumps are a great solution for decarbonizing building heat, however existing technologies can be difficult to integrate into New York’s buildings. Most heat pumps work best with low temperature hot water distribution systems, however the majority of New York's tall buildings operate on steam distribution (1B sqft), or high temperature hot water distribution (0.4B sqft).

New York needs new solutions that will help avoid expensive and disruptive installation: a new class of heat pumps that work with the existing steam or high temperature hot water infrastructure, and new distribution solutions that make it easier to adopt existing centralized low temperature heat pumps.

Solving this problem in New York alone is a $10B market, in the US $40B, and so that’s where we’re focusing the $10M Empire Technology Prize – on developing and demonstrating easy-to-install high temperature heat pumps or distribution systems for NY’s existing tall buildings.

How to Win
We see two approaches to this problem.
We welcome solutions to both.
1

Centralized heat pumps that generate steam (219F/104C) or high temperature hot water (180F/82C)

2

Distribution solutions that make it easier to adopt centralized low temperature heat pumps (≤120F/49C), without the need to remove existing distribution systems

To win, by the end of the 1 year program, teams must develop at least a tested prototype for a heating, or distribution system, that can be more easily installed than current solutions for existing New York State residential or commercial buildings 7 stories and higher. The solutions will be scored on their projected GHG reduction by 2040, ease of implementation in the NY market, and path to cost competitiveness.

Pilot and Demonstration Partners

Finalists will have the opportunity to work with leading NY real estate owners to discuss pilot and demonstration sites in New York City and/or New York State. Our world class Demonstration Partners include: Columbia University, Fairstead, Empire State Realty Trust, L+M Development Partners, New York City Housing Authority, Tishman Speyer, and Vornado Realty Trust
Learn about our Demonstration Partners on our partners page.

The Prize Pool: $10M

Finalist Award Pool: $7M Total, Up to $1M Each

After the application period closes on March 22, 2024, up to seven Finalists will be selected.

On acceptance into the prize: Each Finalist will receive $250,000.

During the 1 year prize program: Each Finalist will be eligible to receive up to an additional $750,000 as a milestone award.

Demonstration Funding Pool: $2M

$2M will be available to help offset the costs incurred by finalists and real estate partners in installing pilots and demonstrations in the New York market.

Winner Award: $1M Prize

At the end of the 1-year prize program, the Winner will be awarded an additional $1M.

Eligibility and Application
We want and need the best talent working on this opportunity.
Applications are open until March 22, 2024.

Wherever you are, whatever field you’re currently working in, we want your talents applied to this problem.

Any incorporated company with at least two full time employees is eligible to participate — from small startups to publicly traded corporations.

You can be based anywhere in the world, but your solution must demonstrate applicability to the New York City and/or State market.

Visit our prize page for more information, and resources page for comprehensive guidelines and insights into the New York State market to set yourself up for a successful application.