The City of Ithaca, New York, has signed a contract with a consortium led by BlocPower with the intent to decarbonize 1,600 buildings to start, with the goal of reaching 6,000 buildings by 2030. This one-of-a kind, public-private partnership has unique features that could become a model for other local governments. Take a closer look at how this program came about and how it will work:
Drivers
Ithaca has a long and deep commitment to sustainability. The city joined ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability in 2001 and subsequently joined the U.S. Mayors Climate Action Commitment and Climate Smart Communities pledge. Moreover, the city developed plans and implemented actions, such as a building energy code surpassing the state code.
Then, in 2019, the city council adopted the Green New Deal. Motivated in part by the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1.5 degree report, the council set forth the goal of achieving a carbon-neutral city by 2030 and committed to do so through specific actions, including green building policies for new buildings and for existing buildings.
Green building policy
More important, the city is following through on this commitment. In 2021, the city adopted the Green Building Policy for new construction and renovations as part of its energy code. The rules require that all new buildings be constructed to produce 40% fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than those built to New York State code, and ratcheting to 80% reduction in 2023 and ultimately to net zero, all-electric buildings in 2026 (with exceptions). The rules provide builders the options of a prescriptive path or a whole building path, which requires use of a listed green building system with the specified energy points. LEED is one such pathway, with 17 energy points.
