retrofits

A residential or commercial building owner that installs Solar PV (electric) in NYC can receive incentives up to 62% of the costs of installation.  Commercial incentives can cover, in some cases, as much as 90% of the cost. 2011 is a particularly good year for commercial building owners to install Solar because a 30% federal tax credit is also available as a grant. Incentives come in the form of NYSERDA grants and various tax credits.

For more on Sustainable Houses of Worship, see the Pratt Center's in-depth report on the project's implementation and results.

The Pratt Center is collaborating with New York City religious institutions to help them reduce their buildings’ energy consumption, set maintenance priorities, develop space utilization strategies, and turn the institutions into centers of education and advocacy for sustainability in their communities.

The Sustainable Houses of Worship program's pilot phase in in Bedford-Stuyvesant, home to more than 100 houses of worship, is now complete. Read the stories of three churches that received free energy audits and are already realizing savings on their fuel and electricity bills as a result of recommended improvements:

Friendship Baptist Church

Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church

Siloam Presbyterian Church

Since then, another six congregations have received assessments of their lighting from Con Edison and two others have had their energy use audited by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority or other auditor.

Solar in New York City

Residential and commercial building owners in NYC are increasingly using the sun to meet their energy needs, reduce their costs, be part of the solution to our environmental crisis, and maximize the value of their property.

Want to Save Money? Tune Up Your Home.

Every homeowner in New York City is eligible for financial incentives to reduce energy use. Depending on your income, age and other factors, you can receive from 10 to 100 percent of the costs for making improvements to your home that will save you money on your electric, heating and water bills, make your home more comfortable and healthy and reduce harmful emissions that contribute to air pollution and global warming.