Epic will operate its Earth Data Observatory (EDO) at The Plant, a former coal power plant located on the Hudson River, at Yonkers, NY, currently being developed by the Lela Goren Group, a premier catalyst builder based in NYC. Built in 1907, this bastion of Romanesque-Revival architecture is being re-purposed, from an abandoned icon of the extractive industrial era to an inspiring workplace, cultural and social destination fostering the new paradigm of sustainable and regenerative abundance. With unparalleled views of the New York City skyline and the bucolic New Jersey Palisades, and a direct stop and 35-minute train ride from Grand Central Station, The Plant will become an epicenter for climate solutions, offering work and convening space for those on the front lines of climate solutions.
Epic will maintain the EDO as a unique global resource that is ground zero for a data-driven, international data visualization showcase in the fight to reverse climate change. The EDO will be staffed by data scientists who will monitor climate-solutions progress globally and by nation, in an effort to continually refine our understanding of where humanity stands in addressing the climate challenge. The EDO will use emerging information technologies to develop novel approaches in crowd-powered systems and open networks for coordinating information markets on climate indicators such as climate solution adoption rates, emissions trajectories, and health indicators of human and natural ecosystems. The EDO will put this data to use by supporting interactive and experiential visualization tools that advance effective communication of climate solutions progress and opportunities.
In addition, Epic will operate The Plant as a center-of-excellence for up to three of the vector/sub-vector categories of climate solutions: Grid Decarbonization, Building Electrification, and Regenerative Agriculture. Epic will curate companies and NGOs within these categories as an ecosystem of tenants at the Plant, establishing programs and links to other organizations working in these fields by the time of The Plant’s opening in 2022.