Episode 20: Statewide Benchmarking in NY: A Path to Climate Progress, with Danielle Manley

In this episode of "Building Tomorrow," we delve into New York State's ambitious climate goals and the pivotal role buildings play in achieving them. New data analysis from Urban Green Council reveals that one-third of all large buildings in the state exist outside of New York City, but we know little about their energy use. Listen in as Danielle Manley, Associate Director of Policy at Urban Green Council, makes the case for why statewide benchmarking is a crucial first step towards empowering large building owners with energy insights that can guide building upgrades, and drive market demand for efficiency.Guest: Danielle Manley, Associate Director of Policy at Urban Green CouncilDanielle is responsible for advocacy, analysis and collaboration on Urban Green’s policy initiatives in New York City and State. She previously worked at the Center for Climate Systems Research at Columbia University’s Earth Institute researching and communicating local climate risk information for stakeholders in global cities and ecosystems, and served as project manager for the Third New York City Panel on Climate Change Report. Danielle also worked for nonprofits in Buffalo on environmental education and advocacy. She holds a Master’s Degree in Climate and Society from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from the University at Buffalo.Host: Ellen Honigstock, Senior Director, Education, Urban Green Council. Ellen oversees the development of Urban Green’s Public Programs. She is also responsible for developing the curriculum for Urban Green’s signature programs, including GPRO and Crushing the Code. Ellen has 28 years of experience as an architect and volunteered for Urban Green for several years before joining the staff, where she served as the first Residential Green Building Advocate for Urban Green Council, working to increase green building and LEED for Homes certification in the New York residential marketplace, and as a committee chair of the Green Codes Task Force. ResourcesThe Case for Statewide Benchmarking, May 21, 2025, Urban Green CouncilDataTrends: Benchmarking and Energy Savings, US EPAEnergy Benchmarking and Transparency Benefits, IMTIntegrated Energy Data Resource (IEDR) Program, NYSERDAIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member of Urban Green, and subscribing to our podcast for more insightful conversations on building a sustainable future.We'd like to thank⁠⁠ ⁠Carrier⁠⁠⁠ for sponsoring the event and podcast.#ClimateGoals #BuildingDecarbonization #EnergyEfficiency