Professional Groups, Hubs,
and Events
New York
New York is a vibrant hub for climate tech professional groups and events, but they can be hard to discover if you’re not already in the know. We've compiled a starter guide to some of the city’s most welcoming community groups, events, and local hubs.
Whether you’re interested in buildings, energy, transportation, food, or just climate in general, here are some great ways to get started in the New York climate community.
General Climate
Green Drinks Brooklyn
Green Drinks Brooklyn NY is a monthly event that brings together people who are interested in environmental and sustainability issues. As part of an international network of over 360 cities, Green Drinks Brooklyn NY offers a casual and friendly space for networking, learning, and sharing ideas. The event features different themes and speakers each month, covering topics such as NGOs, academia, government, business, and more. Green Drinks Brooklyn NY primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the environment or green issues and who wants to meet some like-minded folks. Green Drinks Brooklyn NY is a great way to get inspired and be inspiring.
Women and Climate
Women and Climate is a non-profit organization that creates a community for women interested in talking about climate. It hosts regular events, such as dinners, happy hours, webinars, and workshops, where women can network, learn, and share best practices on climate-related topics. Women and Climate primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the climate sector and who wants to make new friends, discover new opportunities, and contribute to the global climate movement. Women and Climate also publishes engaging climate content on its blog and newsletter, and features a speaker database of women experts in various fields of climate. Women and Climate is currently active in NYC and rapidly spreading to other cities.
Energy
DER Task Force
DER Task Force was founded in 2019 as a meetup group for DERs professionals and enthusiasts in New York City, and has since grown into an independent and collaborative organization that hosts events, webinars, podcasts, newsletters, and job boards. DER Task Force primarily serves people who work in or are interested in the DERs industry, such as project developers, software engineers, marketers, policy advocates, financiers, analysts, and investors. DER Task Force aims to advance the adoption and innovation of DERs by creating a vibrant and diverse community of passionate talent.
YPE NYC
YPE NYC (Young Professionals in Energy NYC) is a non-profit organization that facilitates the advancement of young professionals in the NYC energy industry through a variety of events and professional opportunities. It brings together energy enthusiasts across different cross sectors of the industry, such as engineering, finance, policy, law, and entrepreneurship. YPE NYC primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the energy sector and who wants to expand their network, learn new skills, and contribute to the energy transition. YPE NYC hosts monthly events, such as panel discussions, networking mixers, site visits, and workshops, as well as publishes engaging energy content on its blog and newsletter. YPE NYC is part of an international network of over 40 chapters worldwide.
Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy
WRISE NYC is a local chapter of Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE), a national non-profit organization that promotes the education, professional development, and advancement of women in the renewable energy sector. WRISE NYC hosts regular events, such as panel discussions, networking mixers, site visits, and mentorship programs, where women can connect, learn, and share their experiences and insights on various topics related to sustainability and energy. WRISE NYC primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the renewable energy industry and who wants to join a supportive and diverse community of women leaders. WRISE is part of an international network of over 40 chapters worldwide.
Food
Food Hack
Food Hack NYC is a nonprofit organization that aims to create innovative solutions for the food industry by bringing together food, tech, and hackers. Founded in 2014, Food Hack NYC organizes hackathons, workshops, and events that focus on different aspects of the food system, such as dining, delivery, waste, nutrition, and sustainability. Food Hack NYC connects restaurateurs, data scientists, engineers, chefs, programmers, and other stakeholders to collaborate on designing and prototyping solutions that make the food industry more efficient, responsive, and sustainable. Food Hack NYC also showcases the best projects and ideas from its hackathons and events to inspire and empower the food community. Food Hack NYC’s vision is to foster a culture of innovation and creativity in the food industry and beyond.
Transportation
Young Professionals in Transportation NYC
Young Professionals in Transportation NYC is a local chapter of Young Professionals in Transportation (YPT), an international non-profit organization that connects new professionals in transportation worldwide. It hosts regular events, such as panel discussions, networking mixers, site visits, and mentorship programs, where young transportation practitioners and future leaders can enhance their professional development, fellowship, and networking. Young Professionals in Transportation NYC primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the transportation field and who wants to join a dynamic and diverse community of emerging leaders. Young Professionals in Transportation NYC is part of an international network of over 40 chapters across North America.
Buildings
Building Energy Exchange
Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex) is a center of excellence dedicated to reducing the effects of climate change by improving the built environment. BE-Ex accelerates the transition to healthy, comfortable, and energy efficient buildings by serving as a resource and trusted expert to the building industry. BE-Ex hosts events, such as workshops, webinars, tours, and exhibits, where building owners, operators, designers, and practitioners can learn about the latest technologies, best practices, and policies for high performance buildings. BE-Ex also publishes reports, guides, and tools that provide practical and actionable information on building energy efficiency and sustainability. BE-Ex primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the built environment and who wants to make a positive impact on the climate and the community. BE-Ex is located in New York City and has regional chapters in Kansas City and St. Louis.
NY Passive House
New York Passive House is a nonprofit organization that promotes the Passive House building standard, which reduces the energy consumption of buildings by up to 85% while providing superior comfort and indoor air quality. The Passive House standard was developed in Germany in the 1990s and has been adopted by many countries around the world as a way to combat climate change and improve building performance. New York Passive House provides education, events, advocacy and networking opportunities for professionals and owners who are interested in building healthier, more comfortable and resilient buildings. The organization primarily serves architects, engineers, contractors, developers, policymakers and homeowners in New York City and beyond. New York Passive House is part of a global network of Passive House organizations that share best practices and innovations in the field of high-performance building.
Climate “Weeks”
Climate Week NYC
Climate Week NYC is a global event that brings together leaders from business, government, and civil society to drive climate action in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly and the City of New York. It is the biggest climate event of its kind, with over 400 events across ten themes, both in person and online. Climate Week NYC showcases innovative solutions, celebrates climate achievements, and challenges ambition gaps to accelerate the transition to a net-zero future. Climate Week NYC primarily serves as a platform for connection and discussion among decision makers and influencers from different sectors and regions. Climate Week NYC is organized by the Climate Group, a non-profit organization that works with businesses and governments to implement climate policies and strategies.
NY Water Week
NY Water Week is a global event that brings together New York City and the world to drive water action in conjunction with the United Nations 2023 Water Conference, the first of its kind since 1977. It is a week-long celebration of water innovation, education, resilience, and advocacy, with over 100 events across five themes, both in person and online. NY Water Week primarily serves as a platform for connection and collaboration among water stakeholders from different sectors and regions. NY Water Week aims to create a water secure future for all by sharing and amplifying the solutions that feed into the UN Water Action Agenda.
