DeepSummary
The podcast episode discusses the Clean Heat for All challenge launched by New York City and state agencies to encourage the development of window-mounted heat pumps for NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority) apartments. The challenge aimed to address the lack of efficient heating and cooling systems in these aging buildings while also promoting decarbonization and equity.
The winning designs, submitted by companies like Gradient, offer innovative window-mounted heat pump units that can be easily installed in NYCHA apartments without extensive renovations. These units provide both heating and cooling, enhancing residents' comfort while reducing carbon emissions from the buildings.
The new heat pump technology not only helps meet New York City's climate goals but also increases resilience against extreme weather events like Hurricane Ida, which had previously caused widespread heating and hot water outages in NYCHA complexes. The project demonstrates how addressing decarbonization and equity can go hand in hand.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The Clean Heat for All challenge in New York City incentivized the development of innovative window-mounted heat pump units for NYCHA apartments.
- The new heat pump technology addresses issues of decarbonization, equity, and resilience against extreme weather events in public housing.
- The window-mounted units can be easily installed without extensive renovations, making them a cost-effective solution for aging buildings.
- The heat pumps provide both heating and cooling, enhancing resident comfort while reducing carbon emissions from the buildings.
- The project demonstrates how addressing decarbonization and equity can go hand in hand in urban areas.
- The new technology could revolutionize the way heating and cooling are provided in apartment buildings, especially those that are difficult to retrofit with traditional systems.
- The Clean Heat for All challenge showcases the role of government initiatives and public-private partnerships in driving innovation and addressing complex societal challenges.
- The project highlights the importance of considering the needs of vulnerable communities and older infrastructure in the energy transition and climate change mitigation efforts.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “We're here today to talk about, prior to green investments in public housing, no one has focused on this before. No one has done this before. And in the process, we're going to spur innovation for brand new technologies here in New York that the rest of the nation will be looking at.“ by Kathy Hochul
- “From an economic standpoint, they said when they announced this challenge that these older buildings are really expensive to retrofit with heat pumps today, because most heat pumps on the market, or all heat pumps on the market, require a lot of construction on the building.“ by Vince Romanen
- “We do think that this could revolutionize how space heating and cooling is done in apartments.“ by Vlada Kniff
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Episode Information
The Big Switch
Dr. Melissa Lott
9/15/22
We’re switching things up a bit for the next few weeks. Instead of continuing our sector-by-sector decarbonization tour, we’re taking you to the front lines of the energy transition – to communities where the big switch to a zero carbon future is already underway.
We’re starting with New York City, where there’s a project underway that’s tackling decarbonization and equity at the same time. Residents in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) apartments have long lived with dangerous heating and cooling conditions — especially in the wake of disasters like Hurricane Ida. Now, NYCHA housing also has to decarbonize – and fast – in order to meet the city’s climate commitments.
So New York City and state government agencies launched the Clean Heat for All competition. The challenge? Get the heat pump industry to design a technology that didn’t exist yet: heat pumps that fit in an apartment window. The winning design would replace aging boilers, allow residents to control the temperature in their own units and could be a game changer for building decarbonization across the board.
The Big Switch is produced by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy in partnership with Post Script Media. This episode was produced by Alexandria Herr and Daniel Woldorff. Theme music and mixing by Sean Marquand. Story editing by Anne Bailey. A special thanks to Natalie Volk, Kirsten Smith and Kyu Lee. Our managing producer is Cecily Meza-Martinez. Our executive editor is Stephen Lacey.