Demonstrations

Project Decarbonization:

Our Journey to Winning the Empire Technology Prize

Welcome to the central hub of Miller Proctor Nicholas’s (MPN) race to transform urban heating. Driven by New York City’s strict Local Law 97 mandates and fueled by a passion for sustainable engineering, our team set out to achieve what many thought was impossible: manufacturing zero-emission, low-pressure steam using water-source heat pumps. Below is the complete, 6-part chronicle of how we discovered the technology, built a world-first mobile plant, tested it under extreme real-world conditions, and took home the grand prize. Click through each episode below to read the full story behind each milestone.

Episode 1: The Search for the Ultimate Decarbonization Tech

The Breakthrough: As New York City intensified its building emissions laws, MPN went on a global search for a viable solution. We discovered Finland-based manufacturer Oilon and their revolutionary ChillHeat technology, officially becoming their first North American distributor in November 2022.

The Strategy: Instead of completely tearing out legacy building infrastructure—a logistical and financial nightmare—our strategy focuses on leaving existing boilers in place and incorporating water-source heat pumps right on top of them to recycle waste heat with zero additional environmental burden.

Episode 2: Making Clean Steam a Reality in the Lab

The Breakthrough: Operating out of our Holbrook, Long Island shop with only 24 weeks left on the Empire Technology Prize clock, our engineering team successfully configured the Oilon P30 ChillHeat pump to use low-temperature waste water to generate low-pressure steam without a single drop of fossil fuel.

The Strategy: By back-feeding this zero-emission steam into traditional cast-iron radiators via our test rig, we proved we can natively support New York’s historic building infrastructure, which has relied on steam heating since 1882.

Episode 3: Shrinking a Giant into the Mark 1 Mobile Trailer

The Breakthrough: Proving the science in a lab wasn’t enough; we needed to show building owners it was real. Our team successfully disassembled our two-ton industrial prototype, stripped it to its essentials, and compressed it to fit safely inside a tight 8×20-foot bumper-pull demonstration trailer.

The Strategy: The resulting “Mark 1” mobile unit features a highly advanced, self-sufficient loop utilizing dual internal heat exchangers. Once the temperature cycle stabilizes, the system completely bypasses its baseline water heater, running entirely on recycled internal energy.

Episode 4: The First Wild Test Run in Saratoga Springs

The Breakthrough: We took the Mark 1 trailer out of the shop and directly onto the open highway. After balancing a critical tongue-weight distribution crisis with our water storage tank, we safely hauled the trailer 200 miles north to its first live field demonstration at the New York Geo conference.

The Strategy: When the field site suffered sudden power generator failures and a broken geothermal drill bit, our team adapted on the fly. We safely extracted waste heat directly from a neighboring generator’s exhaust loop to power our system, proving our heat pump’s incredible adaptability under erratic field conditions.

Episode 5: Stress-Testing the Streets of Queens and the Empire State Building

The Breakthrough: We brought the trailer into dense urban terrain, conducting high-profile demonstrations for major real estate developers like Rockrose in Queens, followed by a final evaluation showcase under a scorching 100-degree summer sun at the historic Empire State Building.

The Strategy: In Queens, we demonstrated simultaneous cooling and heating by mapping out a system to capture a local grocery store’s refrigeration waste heat to supply a residential high-rise with hot water. At the Empire State Building, we paired our live steam-generation demo with tailored financial blueprints, showing judges that green retrofits are both mechanically and economically superior.

Episode 6: Bringing Home the Grand Prize & Launching the Future

The Breakthrough: After two years of intense field-testing and rigorous evaluation against seven world-class finalists, Miller Proctor Nicholas was officially announced as the Grand Prize Winner of the Empire Technology Prize.

The Strategy: This historic victory has catalyzed a permanent corporate evolution. Alongside our recent acquisition of the Mobile Steam Boiler Rental Company, we have reorganized under a unified parent company, Hudson Street Holdings, and are establishing a brand-new corporate vertical dedicated exclusively to large-scale sustainability and building electrification.

Want to learn more about how we can help your building achieve compliance with Local Law 97? Contact our newly expanded sales and service facility in Mount Vernon, New York today to schedule a consultation or a live demonstration of the Mark 1 trailer.

Contact us

Whether you require a comprehensive Building Decarbonization Strategy, Technical Emissions Modeling, or expert guidance on NYC Local Law 97 Carbon Compliance, our team is ready to assist.

Reach out to Hudson Clean Heat Representative Today!

info@mpnboilers.com
(914) 203-1907