N.Y.
Public Authorities Law Section 1885
Mechanical insulation energy savings program
1.
Definitions. For purposes of this section:(a)
“Applicant” shall mean any school district, public hospital, public housing building, or political subdivision as defined in the general municipal law, with a building or buildings that have a potential need for mechanical insulation upgrades. The minimum size for any single building to be considered shall be twenty thousand square feet.(b)
“Mechanical insulation” shall mean insulation materials, facings and accessory products used for thermal requirements for mechanical piping and equipment, hot and cold applications, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning applications.(c)
“Qualified audit” shall mean a mechanical insulation audit of a building by a qualified contractor, which identifies missing, damaged or improperly installed mechanical insulation. Such audit shall include an estimate of installation costs along with estimated energy and cost savings. Such audit shall be provided by the qualified contractor at no cost to the authority or applicant.(d)
“Qualified mechanical insulation expenditures” shall mean the purchase of insulation materials, facings and accessory products used for thermal requirements for mechanical piping and equipment, hot and cold applications, and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning applications and all associated labor costs properly allocable to on-site preparation, assembly and original installation, so long as performed by a qualified contractor and in accordance with sections two hundred twenty, two hundred twenty-b and two hundred twenty-i of the labor law.(e)
“Qualified contractor” shall mean an insulation contractor that is party to an apprenticeship agreement, as defined in Labor Law § 816 (Apprenticeship agreements)section eight hundred sixteen of the labor law, which is in good standing, appropriate for the type and scope of work to be performed, including the minimum American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers Standard 90.1-2007, providing the energy standard for buildings except low-rise residential buildings.2.
The authority is hereby authorized and directed to establish and administer a mechanical insulation energy savings program to provide applicants with qualified audits and grants to purchase mechanical insulation. The authority shall establish an audit process whereby an applicant may request a qualified audit. Such audit, if approved by the authority, shall be provided to the applicant at no cost.3.
As part of this program, the authority shall issue grants for applicants that have completed a qualified audit, which will cover one hundred percent of the qualified mechanical insulation expenditures.4.
Within one year of the effective date of this section, the authority shall establish rules and regulations and identify eligible funding to create the mechanical insulation energy savings program and create guidelines for preferred applicants, buildings and energy savings.
Source:
Section 1885 — Mechanical insulation energy savings program, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PBA/1885 (updated Sep. 12, 2025; accessed Sep. 13, 2025).
