How PECC’s Municipal Partners Are Implementing Thermal Energy
By: Clara Cusanelli
The Pace Energy & Climate Center ("PECC") works closely with the municipalities of White Plains, Yonkers, and Peekskill to support their energy transitions. One recent effort by PECC examined the local-level mechanisms within each municipality that lay the groundwork for the implementation of thermal energy networks (“TENs”). A significant portion of the study focused on comprehensive and climate action planning, as well as policy developments stemming from the New York All-Electric Building Act. These tools were discussed during a December meeting hosted by PECC and Sustainable Westchester with municipal leaders.
Comprehensive and Climate Action Plans
In New York, once a comprehensive plan is adopted, all land use decisions must be made in accordance with that plan. If a municipality does not have a formally adopted comprehensive plan, or if the plan is outdated relative to current municipal activities, courts may refer to other policy sources, such as climate action plans. This makes planning a powerful tool for expanding TENs, as it can provide legal support if such initiatives are challenged.
White Plains’ comprehensive plan, updated in 2024, includes GreenWP, an initiative aimed at advancing sustainable infrastructure. GreenWP contains several references to expanding TEN implementation across the City. Goal 8 calls for geothermal energy and energy efficiency expansion, while Goal 20 focuses on expanding heat pump technology and exploring fossil fuel bans in new buildings. White Plains’ 2024 Climate Action Plan also advocates for TEN development. The Plan’s Vision Statement, Climate Action Objectives, and Timeline for Action sections each reference heat pump expansion and broader energy efficiency strategies. Building and Facilities strategies E1-B, C, and E address the implementation of greenWP’s heat pump goals and building retrofits. The City should rely on these plans as strong legal foundations for deploying TEN installations in new projects and retrofitting existing buildings.
While Yonkers has not recently updated its comprehensive plan, its Climate Action Plan unveiled in 2023 serves as a supplement and lends itself to TEN development. In the Energy and Buildings section of the Plan, Strategy and Action E-1-5 recommends that the City explore thermal energy systems, specifically geothermal or sewer heat recovery. In addition to implementing these strategies, Yonkers should work toward updating its comprehensive plan to strengthen the legal basis for TEN expansion.
Similarly, Peekskill’s 2024 Local Climate Action Plan supports TEN development, particularly given the need to update its comprehensive plan. The Plan includes multiple references to thermal energy implementation. The Buildings and Facilities section recommends heat pump installations in high-use municipal buildings. Table 10 notes that Peekskill applied for an EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant to fund additional heat pump installations, although it is unclear whether the grant was awarded. The EPA program, however, appears to remain active. The Emissions Reduction Scenario section identifies additional municipal buildings suitable for heat pump systems. Once adopted, the City should incorporate these plans into a new comprehensive plan so TEN development can be more strongly supported.
Building Codes & New York All-Electric Building Act
The New York All-Electric Building Act ("AEBA"), originally intended to take effect in 2025, is another area of consideration for municipalities seeking to expand TENs. Once effective, the Act will prohibit new buildings under 7 stories from installing fossil fuel energy systems, with the exception of new commercial or industrial buildings over 100,000 square feet. Beginning in 2028, the prohibition will extend to all new buildings across the state, regardless of size. There are several exemptions carved out in the Act for existing fossil fuel systems and for backup power in certain structures. The Act also exempts areas where the electric grid cannot feasibly support new development. Even where exemptions apply, buildings must reduce fossil fuel use to the greatest extent possible and are subject to review to ensure compliance. Overall, the AEBA provides sweeping legal support for thermal energy, and municipalities should—and must—keep potential effective dates in mind when planning new projects and updating their codes.
All three municipalities, as required by state law, adopt the New York Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, which will incorporate the AEBA once it goes into effect. Although initially scheduled to take effect in 2025, recent litigation has resulted in a stipulation delaying enforcement indefinitely. The Act remains in place for future implementation, and municipalities continue to plan accordingly. However, this state of limbo leaves residents and planners uncertain and unable to plan effectively for the future, underscoring that local action is often the most efficient path to change.
Fortunately, municipalities do not need to wait for state action to advance TEN supportive policies. Under New York’s home rule authority, municipalities may adopt more stringent standards than those required by state law. This means that if local legislatures wish to adopt AEBA-equivalent or identical standards, they are free to do so now. The City of Beacon has taken this step, adopting its own All-Electric Buildings ordinance, which has been in effect since January 2024.
Local planning therefore emerges as a critical mechanism amid state and federal delays. Municipalities possess a range of tools to advance TEN expansion and ensure that all residents can benefit from the clean energy transition.
This article was written by PECC's Energy and Climate Law Scholar Clara Cusanelli, a law student at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. It was originally published on February 27, 2026, in Volume 1, Issue 4 of the R.E.A.C.T. by PECC Newsletter.
Editors: Mercè Martí I Exposito, Frances Gothard, Carington Lowe