A town of a little more than 30,000 residents in New York just happens to be one of the country’s leading municipalities on aggressive climate plans.
Ithaca, home of Cornell University, has a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. This isn’t rare – many companies and cities have established similar climate goals for the next 10-20 years. Ithaca has taken its ambitions one step further with the hope of electrifying its entire city’s portfolio of commercial and institutional buildings as well as residential apartments and homes, according to an article from Rolling Stone.
While national efforts to electrify are not moving as rapidly, Ithaca is progressing much faster. While the federal Green New Deal failed to gain traction in Congress, many cities ventured out with their own versions.
The challenge the city faces is obviously a daunting one. Funding is always a challenge for such an ambitious venture, but Ithaca did team up with a private company that will help manage the retrofitting program, and it received $100 million in funding from private companies to provide low- or no-interest loans to building owners to cover upfront costs for 1,000 residential buildings and 600 commercial buildings.
Ithaca’s model is no doubt one that other cities, and the Biden administration will be monitoring as it continues to set climate goals.
Dave Lubach is managing editor of the facility market.
