For Immediate Release: April 19, 2022

Contact: Media Inquiries | media@nycha.nyc.gov | media.inquiries@nypa.gov

NYCHA and NYPA Begin Construction on $72 Million Energy-Efficient Upgrades to Improve Heating Systems at Marble Hill Houses in the Bronx and Berry Houses on Staten Island

The large-scale construction projects will ensure more reliable heat and hot water service for more than 2,100 apartments and reduce annual carbon emissions by nearly 2,200 metric tons in concert with New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and the New York City Climate Mobilization Act

NEW YORK — The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) today announced the start of construction on energy-efficient heating upgrades at Marble Hill Houses in the Northwest Bronx and Gen. Charles W. Berry Houses (Berry Houses) on Staten Island. The $72 million projects will provide greater heat and hot water service for more than 4,000 residents across 2,100 public housing apartments – and serve to reduce annual carbon emissions by nearly 2,200 metric tons: the equivalent of taking nearly 450 cars off the road. Once completed, the capital renovation projects will enable the Authority to contribute to the environmental goals of New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act as well as New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act, which both call for greenhouse gas emissions from buildings to be reduced by 40 percent by the year 2030. NYCHA leveraged the design-build program to streamline the project delivery process for these projects, and utilized funding released through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) annual federal grant disbursement, as well as last year’s approval of the GDA Action Plan and City Capital Action Plan to finance construction. The upgrades are also a part of NYCHA’s ongoing commitment and work to fulfill the obligations identified in its 2019 Agreement with HUD that mandates quality of life improvements in key areas, including the provision of reliable and clean heat for residents.

“Modernizing NYCHA’s building infrastructure by incorporating more energy-efficient heating equipment is a beneficial way to reduce energy usage and lower carbon emissions,” said NYCHA Chair & CEO Greg Russ. “Our partnership with NYPA and support from across City, State, and Federal levels of government will be instrumental in helping the Authority meet the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and the Climate Mobilization Act, while also addressing heating-related capital needs for these developments in the near-term.”

“The heating improvements being implemented by the Power Authority at Marble Hill and Berry Houses will provide residents with more reliable and energy-efficient heat and hot water delivery,” said NYPA Interim President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. “The upgrades will improve these systems at a critical time and help reduce carbon emissions, furthering the goals of Governor Hochul’s aggressive climate agenda.”

“Upgrades to the heating and hot water systems at Berry Houses and Marble Hill will provide energy-efficient, predictable services that NYCHA families can rely on,” said HUD Regional Administrator for New York and New Jersey, Alicka Ampry-Samuel. “I am pleased to see that the Housing Authority and NYPA are taking action with advanced alternatives that will reduce carbon emissions and address years of deferred maintenance. These modifications also advance HUD-mandated actions in the settlement agreement, cost-effective improvements that will enhance the quality of life of NYCHA families.”

“Today’s announcement is a great step forward in modernizing NYCHA’s boilers, which we all agree is a critical quality of life priority,” said New York City Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz. “NYCHA has been working across its portfolio to identify new revenue streams and innovative approaches to addressing its needs, and energy-efficient boilers not only gets us closer to giving residents the homes they deserve, but it also ensures NYCHA is doing its part in tackling the housing crisis.”

“Every New Yorker deserves access to adequate, affordable, clean energy – without inhibitive costs,” said Congressmember Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). “I am delighted NYCHA and NYPA are investing in clean energy heating improvements for Marble Hill and Berry Houses, projects that include funding for long overdue repairs and improvements that will help modernize heat and water systems throughout these locations. I commend all who worked to see these projects come to fruition – ensuring that our most vulnerable are not left behind while transitioning our current energy sources to cleaner and more sustainable energy for our community.”

"Our efforts to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change should go hand-in-hand with our efforts to invest in historically underserved communities, and this NYPA-NYCHA partnership project at Marble Hill Houses is exactly the type of investment that we need to be making,” said Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz. “Not only will these heating plant upgrades reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a significant amount, but also will give residents at Marble Hill more reliable heat and hot water in their apartments. I look forward to an expeditious completion of this project on behalf of my constituents and all NYCHA residents who will benefit from the heating plant upgrades."

“I am glad to see NYCHA working with the New York Power Authority to implement energy efficient upgrades at Berry Houses,” said Assemblymember Michael Cusick. “Not only are upgrades to the buildings’ heating systems much needed, but improving the energy efficiency and reducing the emissions of our buildings is crucial for public health and for energy system reliability.”

“After several seasons of inconsistent heat, I am excited to hear that NYCHA and NYPA are investing in green heating improvements for Marble Hill and Berry Houses,” said Councilmember Pierina Sanchez. “Modernizing NYCHA’s building infrastructure is essential to ensuring families can safely keep warm, without the need to opt for dangerous space heaters that are also harmful to the environment. Our approach to the climate crisis must take on an equity framework, and by prioritizing frontline residents, we are taking a step in the right direction.”

“This is welcome news for all residents of Berry Houses,” said Councilmember David Carr. “As city buildings age, we need to make sure we continue to invest in 21st century utilities for all our NYCHA residents. I am committed to working with NYCHA and NYPA to continue upgrading resources at the Berry Houses as well as other NYCHA facilities in my district.”

At Marble Hill Houses, NYCHA and NYPA will replace the current low-pressure steam boiler with a new, energy-efficient steam boiler system. The project will also see the de-coupling of existing hot water systems in 11 residential buildings and the installation of new gas-fired hot water heaters to improve system reliability and reduce fossil-fuel emissions. The heating plant upgrades are expected to be completed in December 2023 and will total more than $41 million in investment. At Berry Houses, the development’s low-pressure steam boiler will also be replaced with a new energy-efficient steam boiler system to supply reliable hot water to more than 500 apartments. The existing hot water system in each building will be de-coupled from the steam boilers and will be replaced with new gas-fired hot water heaters. The Berry Houses energy efficiency project is also expected to be completed in December 2023 and will total more than $31 million in investment.

The energy-efficient upgrades slated for Marble Hill and Berry Houses are the latest capital projects aimed at reducing the Authority’s carbon emissions footprint. In December 2021, NYPA, NYCHA, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) launched the Clean Heat for All Challenge (#CleanHeat4All) directed at heating and cooling equipment manufacturers to develop a new electrification product that can better serve the needs of existing multifamily buildings and hasten the transition to fossil-free heating sources.

NYCHA and NYPA are also partnering on a $28 million design-build electrification project to replace the aging gas-and-oil-fueled heating and hot water systems at 830 Amsterdam Ave, a 20-story high-rise in Manhattan, with a high-efficiency electric Variable Flow Refrigerant (VRF) heat pump system. The project will provide central heating and cooling to 100 percent of apartments, replacing the old, inefficient window air conditioning units that have come to define many New York City-based facades.

The 2019 adoption of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) by the New York State legislature and the Climate Mobilization Act by the New York City Council established bold mandates for achieving a clean energy and climate agenda. CLCPA commits private and public entities to a path of achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy wide carbon neutrality. At the local level, the Climate Mobilization Act aims to reduce emissions produced by the City’s largest buildings 40 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. The reduction targets for NYCHA are portfolio-wide rather than building-specific, and the Authority works closely with the Department of Buildings, the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, and other city agencies to meet this ambitious goal.

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About NYCHA

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1935 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to roughly 1 in 15 New Yorkers across over 177,000 apartments within 335 housing developments. NYCHA serves over 350,000 residents through the conventional public housing program (Section 9), over 20,000 residents at developments that have been converted to PACT/RAD, and over 75,000 families through federal rent subsidies (the Section 8 Leased Housing Program). In addition, NYCHA connects residents to opportunities in financial empowerment, business development, career advancement, and educational programs. With a housing stock that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.

About NYPA

NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit www.nypa.gov.