Article Categories
Our articles document what New Yorkers are accomplishing in their homes, providing insight and inspiration for your clean energy journey.
Projects
Go behind the scenes of renovation projects in homes near you
Case Study
After an eye-popping quote for gas, an Inwood building cozied up to an alternative
A $3 million quote for infrastructure upgrades from Con Edison sent the Inwood Park Apartments co-op searching for another solution
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?
Case Study
In Queens, a culture-driven approach to energy efficiency changed everything
How a historic Jackson Heights co-op secured its grade A energy rating through incremental upgrades and consistent shareholder discourse
Case Study
A clean energy future for this Queens public development is… hanging out the window?
NYCHA, the city’s largest residential landlord, has set ambitious goals to reduce the carbon emissions of its buildings. Its test run of window-unit heat pumps in one Queens development offers a promising pathway
Technology
Discover new efficiency and clean energy technologies
Cool Tech
What is a “Radiator Cozy” and how does it work?
Inwood Park Apartments was able to save money on fuel and reduce carbon emissions — all by insulating their in-unit radiators
Efficiency
How do you replace 400 windows? One step at a time.
Behind the scenes in one co-op’s planning process for a major façade upgrade
Cool Tech
How do window-unit heat pumps work?
Behind the new heat pumps that are helping to decarbonize NYCHA’s Woodside housing
Clean Energy
All-electrics aren’t all created equal
What’s right for your building — heat pumps, or electric resistance heaters?
Methods
Learn how real people are getting real work done in their homes
Cooperation
“Every win comes with a concession”: The ups and downs of navigating energy efficiency collectively
A change of plan at Inwood Park Apartments required communication, education, and more opportunities for feedback
Financing
“A nice long runway”
An energy audit sets a ten-year path for compliance and savings at a Jackson Heights co-op
Clean Energy
NYCHA makes a market: Here’s how
To develop a heat pump that didn’t yet exist, New York’s public agencies put up millions in investment, then challenged the market to develop a solution — a strategy that’s seen success before
How-To
Tenant power heats up
How one rent-stabilized building organized to demand heating upgrades
People
Meet the pioneers driving New York's clean energy transition
Profile
How a dyed-in-the-wool cooperator led his building through controversial building 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.
Ask an Expert
“It’s a very game-like problem: You’re trying to build things, and there are obstacles”
A Q&A with Richard Reiss, developer of decarbonization board game Energetic and founder of City Atlas
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
Resources
Learn with Skylight resources geared to fit your needs
Explainer
The value of a building wellness check
An energy audit team talks through the benefits of knowing where your building stands
Ask an Expert
“You have to break it down so that it can be understood by a third grader”
A Q&A with Martin Robertson, a Brooklyn-based facilities manager, on how to push for progress in a big building
Ask a Cooperator
“If we could do it, anyone could”
A Q&A with two cooperators from one of New York City’s original self-managed Finnish co-ops, who coordinated efforts to tune up their ancient boiler and patch up leaks in the walls
Explainer