Seaford School District Taps LIPA Programs for Extensive Energy Efficient Lighting Upgrade and Installation of Clean Renewable Solar Energy System

Uniondale, NY—The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), in its continuing effort to help Long Island become more energy efficient, today announced that the Seaford School District has partnered with the Authority to upgrade its facilities by participating in LIPA’s Efficiency Long Island/Commercial Construction Program.

“LIPA is proud to sponsor programs that assist schools in achieving energy efficiency and independence. The Seaford School District’s installation of energy-efficient lighting and a PV system will save them an estimated $37,000 on their electric bill per year,” said LIPA President and CEO Kevin S. Law. “I commend Seaford School Superintendent Thomas Markle for joining LIPA in making Long Island a safer and cleaner environment for our next generation.”

Seaford School District upgraded the lighting system in classrooms, replacing over 1,000 fixtures with energy-efficient high performance T8 light bulbs and 200 occupancy sensors. Through these improvements it is estimated that Seaford Schools will save over 200,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year. The School District was able to offset the cost with a $30,640 rebate from LIPA. The rebate helped to bring this fixture replacement project down to an approximate simple payback period of just under four years. Lighting accounts for the largest portion of energy used in commercial buildings, sometimes accounting for 25-30% of a facility’s total energy consumption.

"In a very eco-friendly and efficient manner, we were able to reduce our carbon footprint and our energy costs with far reaching energy saving measures, including lighting retrofits, boiler renovations, weather stripping, window replacements and a small photovoltaic system. The rebates from LIPA helped make it all possible,” said Seaford School Superintendent Thomas Markle.

"Everyone in the Seaford School District will benefit from these upgrades. Improving energy efficiency will reduce costs and save taxpayer dollars. In addition, these upgrades will give Seaford students a firsthand example of how energy conservation benefits the environment. I am pleased that the Seaford School District and LIPA partnered together to make these important improvements," said State Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (8th Senate District), who secured state funding for the School District to purchase and install solar power technology.

“At a time when protecting the taxpayers and protecting our environment are both equally important and high priorities, we should all be proud of this initiative. Renewable energy is cost effective and the proven answer to the problems associated with energy costs. We are fortunate that our school districts and LIPA are taking the lead by answering the call of overburdened taxpayers and all of us who are pushing for a more efficient and greener lifestyle,” said State Assemblyman
Joseph S. Saladino (12th Assembly District).

The energy efficiency measures taken by Seaford Schools under this initiative will have the equivalent effect of reducing 15 cars from the road for one year or 9,441 gallons of gas not consumed for a year.

In addition to the lighting upgrades the district also installed a 3 kW photovoltaic system (PV) with a $13,500 rebate from LIPA’s solar program. This system will annually produce an estimated 3,959kWh of electricity.

Efficiency Long Island is a 10-year, $924 million energy efficiency program launched this year, which offers a wide array of incentives, rebates and initiatives to LIPA’s residential and commercial customers to assist them in reducing their energy usage and thereby lowering their bills.

LIPA’s Commercial Construction Program is part of Efficiency Long Island, to learn more visit the Web site at http://www.lipower.org/efficiency/commercial.html.

LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric provider, owns the retail electric Transmission and Distribution System on Long Island and provides electric service to more than 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. LIPA is the 2nd largest municipal electric utility in the nation in terms of electric revenues, 3rd largest in terms of customers served and the 7th largest in terms of electricity delivered. In 2010, LIPA outperformed all other overhead electric utilities in New York State for frequency of service interruptions, and ranked second for duration of service interruptions. LIPA does not provide natural gas service or own any on-island generating assets. More information about LIPA can be found online at: http://www.lipower.org.

Media Contact Information
Mark Gross
Phone - (516) 719-9892
Media Pager - (516) 229-7248
media.relations@lipower.org

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