LIPA Hosts Back to School Energy Summits for LI Schools
Seeks to Increase Energy Efficiency and Lower Energy Costs
Selden, NY—October 3rd 2008 – The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)
today met with Suffolk County school officials completing Long Island’s first
“Back to School Energy Efficiency Summit” in an effort to assist districts in
becoming more energy efficient and thereby lowering energy costs. More than 30
school districts were represented at the Selden campus of Suffolk Community
College.
“With the cost of oil nearly ten times higher than it was a mere decade ago,
and with property taxes and energy costs in our region continuing to escalate
and driving young people to more affordable pastures, we must take affirmative
steps to stem the tide and do what we can now to lower energy costs, emphasize
conservation and be cognizant of the impact we as energy consumers have on the
environment,” said LIPA President and CEO Kevin S. Law.
For the last ten years LIPA has worked with hundreds of schools and public
facilities on Long Island through its $355 million clean energy initiative.
Under Law’s leadership, LIPA is poised to embark next year on an efficiency
program that will increase that investment exponentially to nearly a billion
dollars over the next ten years.
"I commend Kevin Law and LIPA for leading the way in making our schools more
energy efficient," said Rep. Steve Israel. "Many of our schools are from another
era, when gas was cheap and energy efficient technologies weren't an option.
It's time for an upgrade. LIPA is helping to make this a reality for Long Island
schools, and I’m pleased to report my request for $3 billion in additional
funding for ‘greening’ our nation’s schools was passed in the House of
Representatives.”
LIPA is partnering with the New York Power Authority on their substantial
school efficiency programs in order to maximize the value and increase the
savings for Long Island’s schools. Representatives from NYPA participated in
today’s event by providing information and assistance on the variety of programs
available to Long Island’s school districts under its umbrella.
“You are uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of this movement,” Law
said, addressing district administrators and facilities managers. “Introducing
these concepts to the many thousands of bright young and impressionable minds
that walk through the halls of your facilities every day will surely impact the
future in a positive way. And we can start by partnering to improve the energy
efficiency of your facilities, many of which were built decades ago and without
efficiency and conservation factoring heavily into the designs and operations.
We need 20th Century building designs to give way to 21st Century energy
practices,” Law said.
"The opportunity to combine the expertise, purchasing power, and the
financial incentives that LIPA and NYPA are offering, creates a win-win for the
taxpayers and the children of the East Moriches community,” said Dr. Charles
Russo, Superintendent of the East Moriches School District. “I give credit to
Mr. Law for organizing today's workshop by having the vision to play a
leadership roll in the quest to lower costs, create green projects, and to
assist schools at providing a quality education to Long Island children."
“As Superintendent of a small, East End school district where our budgets are
carefully scrutinized, I learned that I will likely get more ‘bang for my buck’
by focusing on efficiencies rather than larger projects that may not be as
cost-effective,” said Dr. Stuart Rachlin, Superintendent of the Oysterponds
School District.
“I would like to thank LIPA for hosting the Energy Efficiency Summit today.
The presentations were informative and identified several opportunities for us
to pursue,” said Dr. Susan Agruso, Superintendent of the Kings Park School
District. “I was pleased to hear about the incentives and funding ideas
discussed today which may result in additional economic benefits to our
community. We will be following up with LIPA regarding energy audits to identify
ways for our buildings to be more energy efficient.”
"Today's presentation was refreshing, frank and informative; it demonstrated
the desire of LIPA's new management to partner with public schools,” said Fred
Koelbel, Plant Facilities Administrator of the Port Jefferson School District.
“I look forward to utilizing this partnership here at Port Jefferson."
“The New York Power Authority is pleased to partner with LIPA in providing
turn-key energy efficiency services to the school districts of Long Island,”
said Angelo Esposito, senior vice president of the New York Power Authority.
NYPA has been a leader in providing energy efficiency services across New York
State and, to date has completed over 1,600 projects with investments in excess
of $1.2 billion. Moreover, we are committed to investing an additional $1.4
billion in energy efficiency and renewables through 2015 in support of Governor
Paterson’s ’15 by 15” Initiative.”
The Back to School Energy Summits marked the first of Law’s formal outreach
efforts to schools to discuss its programs and how LIPA’s partnership with NYPA
in this area can benefit the region.
“We want to make sure that Long Island’s school districts know what LIPA can
do to help them, especially as we prepare to roll out our expanded energy
efficiency program next year,” said Law. “LIPA’s customers and Long Island’s
property taxpayers are one and the same. If we can help schools become more
energy efficient, we will all benefit, while simultaneously benefiting our
environment.”
LIPA’s current Energy Efficiency programs include:
- Prescriptive—which offers incentives for purchasing energy efficient
items from a prescribed list of products, including lighting fixtures,
motors and occupancy sensors.
- Custom—which offers incentives of up to $200,000 for items not on the
Prescriptive list, such as geothermal systems, reflective roofing and
building energy management systems.
- Whole Building—LIPA will work with building owners and their design
teams to develop an energy efficiency plan specifically designed for the
entire building, including up to $400,000 in incentives and assistance.
- Retrofit—which provides up to $200,000 in incentives for customers to
replace equipment before the end of its useful life.
- Energy Audits—LIPA will provide free energy audits for a facility.
- Commissioning—LIPA offers customers up to $50,000 for commissioning
services as an assurance that the energy efficiency measures a customer
installs are working properly.
- Technical Assistance—LIPA provides up to $10,000 in technical assistance
services to help choose and implement energy efficiency measures and
equipment.
- Solar Electric (Photovoltaics or PV)—LIPA will provide rebates of $3.50
per watt for regular commercial customers or $4.50 per watt for schools,
municipalities and not-for-profit customers for installation of approved PV
systems up to 10,000 watts.
- LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)—LIPA will provide
up to $500,000 in incentives and assistance to a customer’s LEED certified
project.
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