BuildSmart NY Project to Save SUNY Purchase $400,000 in Energy Costs

Governor Cuomo Announces Completion of $9.2 Million Energy Efficiency Project at Purchase College

New York State Governor, August 15, 2016

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the completion of a New York Power Authority $9.2 million energy efficiency project that will save SUNY Purchase College about $400,000 in annual energy costs. The completion of this project advances the Governor’s Reforming the Energy Vision strategy and recently enacted Clean Energy Standard, a nation-leading mandate to supply 50 percent of New York’s electricity from renewable energy resources by 2030.

“The completion of this clean energy project is a win-win-win that will help fight climate change, increase energy efficiency and cut costs at SUNY Purchase,” Governor Cuomo said, “This project is a concrete result of the BuildSmart NY innovative and brings us one step closer to a cleaner, greener New York for all.”

Upgrades include the upkeep or replacement of four cooling towers, the installation of a new building management system, and an underground water condenser system. These improvements will reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by 360 tons a year—the equivalent of removing 76 cars from the road.

Implemented by New York Power Authority, these measures are being carried out under Governor Cuomo’s BuildSmart NY initiative to drive a 20 percent increase in energy efficiency in state facilities by 2020, and is also supported by the Governor’s Reforming the Energy Vision strategy to build a clean, resilient, and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers.

Chairman of Energy and Finance Richard Kauffman said,

Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership New York is leading on climate change and demonstrating the power of public-private partnerships to reduce costs and harmful emissions. The New York Power Authority and its BuildSmart NY initiative are critical elements of the Governor’s Reforming the Energy Vision strategy and our goal to meet 50% of our electricity needs with renewable energy by 2030.

Gil C. Quiniones, New York Power Authority President and CEO said, 

This project is the latest in a long string of energy-saving measures we’ve worked on with SUNY campuses statewide. Many SUNY campuses are well on their way toward meeting the BuildSmart goal of reducing energy use 20 percent by 2020.

The New York Power Authority is partnering with SUNY on 17 other energy-efficiency projects designed eliminate more than 10,600 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, the equivalent of removing 2,240 cars from the road. To date, The New York Power Authority has completed more than 100 energy efficiency projects on 34 State University of New York campuses, totaling nearly $236 million and resulting in almost $20 million in annual savings.

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Image credit: By Kelly Campbell, Sandy Dylak, Roberto DeOliveira, Steven Ferry, David Grimaldi, Imani Humphries, Kristi McKee, Jared Pereira, Zoe Markwalter (Purchase College)