New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services

04/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/21/2026 15:52

DCAS and MoMI Celebrate $7.5 Million in Major Energy Efficiency Upgrades to the Museum

April 21, 2026

DCAS and MoMI Celebrate $7.5 Million in Major Energy Efficiency Upgrades to the Museum
Completed ahead of summer-and just in time for Earth Week-the latest upgrade includes a chiller replacement, improving infrastructure and reducing annual energy costs.

Pictured above: DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei, DCLA Deputy Commissioner Alton Murray, DCAS Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Energy Management Sana Barakat, MoMI Executive Director Aziz Isham, and additional museum representatives cut ribbon on rooftop chiller at the Museum of the Moving Image

NEW YORK, NY - TToday, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and the Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) announced the completion of the latest energy efficiency and resiliency project at the museum, a $2.7 million project which rounds out over $7.5 million invested in critical infrastructure work over the past five years. The latest effort-a major energy efficiency project to replace the museum's chiller-is a critical investment to reduce energy costs and maintain a pleasant, comfortable environment for guests throughout the summer months. The completed projects represent $235,900 in annual energy savings for the city, reducing emissions by 400 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, and cutting energy use by 6,500 million British thermal units, which is equivalent to the annual energy use of over 450 New York City homes.

"As we complete this chiller replacement project in partnership with MOMI, we're not only cooling spaces throughout the museum; we're strengthening the infrastructure and protecting the museum's vibrant culture and history that New Yorkers love." said DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei. "Our commitment to sustainable infrastructure-across the city-helps us pave the way towards a greener, more vibrant future for New York City, and we are beyond excited to complete this project ahead of summer for the Museum of the Moving Image."

"Our partnership with DCAS has made possible great improvements to our HVAC, lighting, and control systems, transforming the visitor experience at the Museum," said Aziz Isham, MoMI Executive Director. "In recent years, we've seen our attendance double, as we extended free admission to our ground-floor spaces, welcoming the community to access our café and lobby as meeting places, while we also upgraded our signature Redstone Theater with Dolby Atmos and new lighting-all with new comfortable climate environments, and bringing us closer to being the first NYC cultural institution to be off of fossil fuels. I want to thank John Davis, our Senior Director of Facilities, and Mauricio Roldan, our Director of IT, for leading green initiatives at the Museum, allowing us to be good stewards of the building."

Pictured above: Completed rooftop chiller at the Museum of the Moving Image, in Astoria, Queens, New York

"Going to the movies or a museum on hot NYC summer days is one of the great joys of our city, and a small but important way that our cultural institutions keep New Yorkers safe as the temperature rises," said Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Diya Vij. "We're grateful to our partners at DCAS for supporting this important energy upgrade at MoMI, which will create a museum going experience that all residents can enjoy while reducing our reliance on fossil fuels."

The $2.7 million chiller replacement project involved replacing the old, oversized heating tanks, removing the second boiler plant, and installing an air-source heat pump. This project marks the latest milestone in DCAS and MoMI's efforts to expand building electrification, transforming the museum into a greener, more energy-efficient facility.

Since 2021, DCAS has invested $7.5 million in energy efficiency upgrades at MoMI. These improvements include the installation and maintenance of an advanced building management system, upgrades to air handling units and energy-efficient IT systems to improve HVAC performance through better heat energy management. DCAS also supported MoMI with an energy study and staff training to further optimize building operations. Most recently, DCAS supported the completion of a first phase of the electric chiller replacement project, in addition to a comprehensive LED lighting upgrade, both of which were completed in June 2025.

Pictured above: Lobby at the Museum of the Moving Image, designed by Leeser Architecture (Credit: Peter Aaron/Esto, Courtesy of MoMI)

"This investment underscores our responsibility to lead on climate action while safeguarding public well-being," said the City of New York's Chief Decarbonization Officer and DCAS Deputy Commissioner for Energy Management Sana Barakat. "The transition to an electric chiller and high-efficiency LED lighting demonstrates how the city's cultural institutions can lead by example in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting citywide decarbonization efforts."

In December 2025, DCAS announced that the city had achieved its lowest greenhouse gas emissions in 20 years, reducing emissions from government operations by 31% since 2006 while cutting building energy use by 16%. Since FY14, the city has implemented more than 17,800 energy conservation measures across 2,500 facilities, reducing approximately 460,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of removing 100,000 cars off the road.

DCAS is involved in several major capital efficiency projects that are critical to the city's overall decarbonization progress. Recent energy efficiency projects include a $7 million electric chiller installation at the Fashion Institute of Technology, a $17 million heating cogeneration plant upgrade at the Bronx Zoo, and over 30 different projects at the Metropolitan Museum of Art which have reduced emissions by approximately 7,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, the equivalent of removing over 1,500 cars from the road and saving $2.67 million in annual energy costs. This includes a recent $25 million energy efficiency lighting upgrade at the museum, which will install nearly 20,000 LED fixtures and replace 16 comprehensive lighting control systems across hundreds of the museum's galleries.

Pictured above: Rooftop chiller construction at the Museum of the Moving Image, in Astoria, Queens, New York

DCAS' progress-significantly outpacing private sector decarbonization-is driven by a comprehensive, buildings-focused strategy alongside expanded clean energy deployment, improved energy management, and fleet and infrastructure upgrades. As a result, the city is on track to meet or exceed its legally mandated goal of a 50% emissions reduction by 2030, demonstrating how sustainable, efficient government operations can both combat climate change and strengthen service delivery for New Yorkers.

This spring, Museum of the Moving Image is presenting a robust schedule of events, including: the 15th First Look Festival of new, innovative international cinema, ranging from documentary to horror films, April 23-May 3; the major exhibition Overexposed: Art, Technology, and the Body, which explores how cinema and X-ray technology radically transformed how we see and understand the human form, and featuring the work of 16 artists and decades of research films, on view through January 3; a slate of free community programs, under the umbrella of Open Worlds, open to all ages and featuring dance parties, artist talks, workshops, and other community gatherings, April-October; the dynamic, interactive core exhibition Behind the Screen and The Jim Henson Exhibition; and much more.

MOMI is a member of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs' Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), a cohort of private, non-profit organizations on city-owned property. CIG members receive substantial subsidies and capital investment from the city; in return for this support, they provide cultural programming for all New Yorkers.

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About the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services

The NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) makes city government work for all New Yorkers. Our commitment to equity, effectiveness, and sustainability guides our work providing City agencies with the resources and support needed to succeed, including:

  • Recruiting, hiring, and training City employees.
  • Managing 56 public buildings.
  • Acquiring, selling, and leasing City property.
  • Purchasing over $1 billion in goods and services for City agencies.
  • Overseeing the greenest municipal vehicle fleet in the country.
  • Leading the City's efforts to reduce carbon emissions from government operations.

Learn more about DCAS by visiting nyc.gov/dcas and by following us on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and listening to the Inside Citywide podcast.

Contact:
Dan Kastanis
Director of Media Relations, Public Affairs
[email protected]

New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services published this content on April 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 21, 2026 at 21:52 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]