When Ithaca, N.Y., decided last year to embark on the unprecedented project of decarbonizing all 6,000 buildings in town, it turned to BlocPower, a climate startup that retrofits buildings in low-income neighborhoods with solar panels, electric heat pumps, and other emission-reducing tech. “We can turn a building into a Tesla and make it all electric,” says CEO Donnel Baird, who counts Goldman Sachs and the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund among his company’s backers. If it’s successful—the goal is a 40% emissions reduction—other cities will likely follow suit.
A weekly newsletter featuring conversations with the world’s top CEOs, managers, and founders. Join the Leadership Brief.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Cybersecurity Experts Are Sounding the Alarm on DOGE
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Michelle Zauner Stares Down the Darkness
