Energy Efficiency Upgrades at the College at Brockport as Part of Build Smart NY:

WHITE PLAINS—The New York Power Authority (NYPA) has started construction on a more-than $5 million energy efficiency upgrade at the College at Brockport, State University of New York, that will save the school more than $300,000 annually and remove almost 1,300 tons of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere every year.

The improvements are in line with “Build Smart NY,” the new initiative by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to increase energy efficiency in state buildings by 20 percent over seven years by strategically accelerating priority improvements in energy performance. The statewide initiative will save millions of dollars for taxpayers, create thousands of jobs and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The campus-wide, energy-saving improvements that NYPA is undertaking at the College at Brockport include lighting enhancements, heating and ventilation upgrades, and the replacement of outdated boilers and electric motors.

“The work being undertaken at the College at Brockport demonstrates the Power Authority’s commitment to Build Smart NY and to implement partnerships with state and local governments,” said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and chief executive officer.

Over the last two decades, the Power Authority has partnered with the College at Brockport on nearly a dozen energy efficiency projects, saving taxpayers nearly $2 million in energy costs every year and removing more than 10,000 tons of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere annually.

“We are grateful to Governor Cuomo and the Power Authority for their support for the major energy efficiency improvements on our campus,” said John R. Halstead, the College at Brockport president “These upgrades allow us to save money and replace our aging infrastructure, which is a win-win for the college, its students, and New York State.”

NYPA has been designated by Governor Cuomo to carry out his Build Smart NY plan, and is committed to providing $450 million in low-cost financing for state facilities and an additional $350 million for other energy efficiency programs benefiting county and local governments.

Build Smart NY will utilize state building energy data to prioritize projects that will deliver the greatest energy savings per dollar spent. The largest and most inefficient buildings will be addressed first and undergo comprehensive whole-building improvements.

Build Smart NY will accelerate projects that produce the greatest savings and coordinate all spending. The program will also ensure that cost-effective improvements for energy savings are considered in all the state’s capital project planning.

In addition to its energy savings goals, Build Smart NY supports Governor Cuomo’s larger NY Works program and economic development agenda, which coordinates state funding to accelerate projects that will create jobs and improve the state’s infrastructure. NY Works is designed to expedite select projects with maximum economic impact, allowing them to begin as soon as possible and reduce project costs by hundreds of millions of dollars.

A Build Smart NY web platform was launched that posts progress reports, case studies, energy savings, project costs, and other information to the public, providing greater accountability and transparency on government spending and performance. For more information on this initiative, visit www.buildsmart.ny.gov.

A new energy-saving boiler installed on the College at Brockport campus as part of the more-than $5 million energy efficiency upgrade being undertaken by the New York Power Authority.
Photo Credit:  NYPA