Case Study: The Views at Rocky Glen
See how we helped a Beacon apartment complex cut carbon emissions and boost efficiency with new heat-pump powered heating, cooling, and hot water systems
Total Incentive: $227,400
Tucked away just off Route 52 in Beacon, The Views at Rocky Glen feels more like a quiet neighborhood than a typical apartment complex. Its three contemporary low-rise buildings are surrounded by well-kept green spaces and small playgrounds, with scenic views of the Hudson Highlands. It’s a peaceful spot—family-friendly and unassuming. But look a little closer and you’ll notice something new humming quietly on the side of each building: modern, air-source heat pump units. Inside, these units are doing the heavy lifting, cooling and heating 82 aparments, more efficiently and more cleanly than ever before.
The Views at Rocky Glen, located in Beacon, NY, replaced its aging natural gas heating and hot water systems with heat pumps
Decarbonizing at scale
The Views is owned and managed by Affordable Housing Concepts (AHC), a developer with deep roots in the Hudson Valley. All apartments are income-controlled, ranging from low-income (30% of Area Median Income [AMI]) to near-median income levels (up to 90% AMI). Known for their commitment to high-quality, sustainable housing, AHC saw a window of opportunity at the Beacon complex: aging gas furnaces and water heaters were nearing the end of their useful life, and the performance of traditional equipment was slipping. Repair costs were rising and parts were becoming harder to source. Residents were also relying on window units for air conditioning—an inefficient and often inadequate solution. It was time for an upgrade.
When considering the next step, the company had two goals in mind, according to Keith P. Libolt, Partner at AHC. “Decarbonization and energy efficiency.”
He said the company was motivated to pursue decarbonization because of the “environmental challenges with fossil fuels.”
Thanks to advances in heat pump technology, it’s no longer necessary to choose between decarbonization and cost-effectiveness when it comes to heating and cooling. Formerly, heat pump adoption was held back because units weren’t able to provide adequate and cost-effective heating during cold New York winters. But that’s no longer the case. “The heat pumps have reached the place performance-wise that they are on par with the gas equipment,” said Libolt.
On the cooling side, heat pumps function much like central air systems, offering similar performance and allowing for greater energy efficiency, especially when replacing less efficient window units.
In late 2024, with support from Central Hudson’s Clean Heat Program, AHC began the process of replacing the old systems across all three buildings. By reusing the existing ductwork, the project avoided unnecessary demolition while modernizing the system from the inside out.
The new systems reused existing ductwork, smoothing the transition
Incentives prove critical
The total project cost was $1.84 million, but thanks to energy efficiency incentives from Central Hudson, $227,400 of that was offset. This made a big difference.
“Without those incentives, this wouldn’t have moved forward,” said Libolt.
The numbers speak for themselves:
- 1,380,605 BTU/h of new heating capacity
- 1,653 MMBTU in estimated annual energy savings
- 15,371 MMBTU projected lifetime savings over 13 years
The process wasn’t without its complexities. Decarbonizing multifamily housing isn’t plug-and-play. According to Libolt, navigating the engineering requirements and program criteria required technical fluency and assistance from Central Hudson and its partners. “The customer service provided was big help with trying to provide the needed information to make the project comply with the program,” he said. “Their attitude was positive, they communicated clearly and were a pleasure to work with.”
Libolt called the transition a success and recommended others explore similar upgrades: “This is an excellent option to promote new carbon-free technology.”