Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
September 22, 2025
Ambient, Gil-Bar Win $100K in NY's Empire Tech Prize for Clean Heating
TLDR
- Ambient Enterprises, Gil-Bar, and Flow Environmental Systems gained a competitive advantage by winning $100,000 in the Empire Technology Prize for their scalable clean heating solution that outperforms fossil fuel alternatives.
- The team's high-temperature hot water system uses natural CO₂ refrigerant to provide simultaneous heating, cooling, and domestic hot water through a carbon-neutral process demonstrated at Union Theological Seminary.
- This clean heating technology advances New York's climate goals by reducing carbon emissions and providing sustainable alternatives that make buildings more environmentally friendly for future generations.
- A natural refrigerant CO₂ system that simultaneously heats and cools buildings won recognition in a $10 million prize competition, demonstrating innovative decarbonization technology in real-world applications.
Impact - Why it Matters
This development matters because building heating represents one of the largest sources of carbon emissions in urban environments, particularly in cold-climate states like New York. The transition away from fossil fuel boilers is essential for meeting climate targets, but has been challenging due to technical limitations and cost barriers. The success of this natural refrigerant-based system demonstrates that practical, scalable alternatives are emerging that can serve multiple building needs simultaneously. For building owners and residents, this technology offers a path to lower carbon footprints without sacrificing comfort or reliability. As New York implements its nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, innovations like this will be critical for reducing emissions from the building sector, which accounts for nearly 40% of the state's greenhouse gas emissions. The demonstration at Union Theological Seminary provides a real-world test case that could accelerate adoption across similar institutional and commercial buildings throughout the Northeast.
Summary
Ambient Enterprises, in partnership with Gil-Bar and Flow Environmental Systems, has achieved significant recognition as Runner-Up in the prestigious Empire Technology Prize, securing a $100,000 award for their innovative clean heating solution. This $10 million initiative, launched by The Clean Fight with support from NYSERDA, Wells Fargo, and RMI, aims to accelerate the development of alternatives to fossil fuel boilers across New York State. The collaborative team was honored for their high-temperature hot water system powered by natural CO₂ refrigerant, which provides sustainable heating, domestic hot water, and simultaneous heating and cooling capabilities.
The recognition from Governor Kathy Hochul highlights the critical importance of these technologies in advancing New York's aggressive climate goals. A demonstration project at Union Theological Seminary in Upper Manhattan will showcase the system's real-world applicability, marking a major step toward proving scalable carbon-neutral heating solutions. The Empire Technology Prize represents a comprehensive effort to support first-of-a-kind demonstration projects, with $4.15 million awarded to seven finalist teams and an additional $4.75 million in milestone funding available. This initiative addresses the urgent need for building-wide decarbonization while providing building owners with practical, adoptable solutions that can be deployed at scale.
Ambient CEO Chris Bisaccia emphasized that this recognition validates their partnerships and engineering expertise, while COO Tony Tanzillo noted the team's commitment to delivering clean, practical HVAC solutions that meet current building owner needs while preparing for a carbon-free future. The Empire Technology Prize serves as a crucial catalyst for innovation in the clean energy sector, bringing together industry leaders, government support, and cutting-edge technology to address one of the most challenging aspects of urban decarbonization—heating systems in existing buildings.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by citybiz. Read the original source here, Ambient, Gil-Bar Win $100K in NY's Empire Tech Prize for Clean Heating
