Explainer
Stories about New Yorkers leading the clean energy transition in their own homes.
Cooperation
Preparing a workforce to deliver clean energy to New York City buildings
This intensive trains NYCHA residents to install clean energy systems in their homes — and beyond.
Explainer
“Does this place have good energy?”
What to ask about building emissions before you buy an apartment in New York City
Ask an Expert
In 2025, carbon emissions reporting went well. But 2030? “It’s going to be a real scramble”
A Q&A with Mariel Hoffman, EN-POWER GROUP’s Director of Energy Engineering, on trends she saw in the first year of Local Law 97 filings
Event Recap
Skylight takes New Yorkers behind the scenes of the Victoria’s energy-efficient renovation
A recap of Skylight’s latest clean energy building tour, hosted in partnership with EN-POWER GROUP.
Case Study
A symphony of energy upgrades creates harmony for this midcentury co-op
The Victoria, a large residential building in Union Square, has kept perfect time with LL97 requirements thanks to the forward thinking of its board.
Cool Tech
This battery offers New York City apartments a cleaner way to stay cool
Every Electric’s new power bank helps defray the peak demand on the city’s energy grid through efficient energy storage
reports on the clean energy challenge happening right now in New York, illustrating how New Yorkers are tackling decarbonization at home: In their apartments, co-ops, and houses.
Getting Started
Profile
How a dyed-in-the-wool cooperator led his building through change
Hal Fuchsman is a lifelong believer in the co-op model of homeownership, but leading his building through an energy efficiency upgrade challenged even him.
Explainer
What is Local Law 97?
Skylight’s all-in-one explainer of New York City’s landmark building decarbonization law — and what it means for the city’s residential buildings.
Explainer
How steam heat boilers work
Boilers have warmed New York buildings for decades. But to prepare them to meet the city’s new climate standards, we must first understand how they function.
Explainer
Breaking down the J-51 tax abatement: Who is it for, and how can it help?
Skylight explains the tax break that helps New York City apartments recoup costs for building upgrades
Going Big
Case Study
At the Harlem River Houses, HVAC gets a history lesson
A historic NYCHA development leaves behind steam heat for clean energy as part of a suite of new upgrades
Case Study
Early adapters: The Manhattan co-op that went all-in on all-electric
Beekman Hill was among the first buildings in NYC to fully electrify heating and cooling, resulting in increased resident comfort and thousands in monthly savings. Can others replicate its success?
Profile
Small heat pump, big difference
Residents Maria Lopez and Tammy Reyes on the 2023 NYCHA heat pump pilot that brought more comfort and control into their homes
Cool Tech
Steam heat systems learning new tricks
A legacy boiler company is pioneering boiler replacement with a steam-generating heat pump powerful enough to heat New York’s biggest apartment buildings
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Edition 11 January 2026
Case Study
At the Harlem River Houses, HVAC gets a history lesson
A historic NYCHA development leaves behind steam heat for clean energy as part of a suite of new upgrades
Tips and Tricks
Tyrone Thomas: “Stay engaged, even if they’re upset”
Tenant engagement, specialized support, and independent oversight were key to managing the retrofit at Harlem River Houses, even as it remained a bustling, active community
Financing
How nonprofit developers financed Harlem River Houses’ major rehabilitation
To complete the multi-million-dollar retrofit, partners on the project leveraged a mix of public and private funding sources
Cool Tech
A heat pump that slots into the façade and is pack(aged) with benefits
More retrofit projects are shifting toward the use of packaged terminal heat pumps, or PTHP units, as an energy- and cost-efficient way to upgrade a property’s heating system
