Rockland Community College is partnering with Ecosystem, a design-build engineering company, to perform a $11.1 million energy efficiency retrofit project on the 629,000-square-foot campus. The project will help the College save $558,000 annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 1,000 metric tons, equivalent to removing almost 400 cars from the road. The energy savings, project investment, and incentives are guaranteed by Ecosystem as part of an energy performance contract.
“Rockland Community College, with its commitment to reducing our carbon footprint, is very excited about the energy reduction project we plan to embark upon with Ecosystem. The project plays a major role in helping us fulfill our Sustainability Mission statement, in which we pledge to sharply reduce our global warming emissions,” said Dr. Cliff L. Wood, President of RCC.
“This project will help RCC reduce future maintenance costs and improve the campus for students, faculty and staff,” said André Rochette, President and CEO of Ecosystem. “The Ecosystem team looks forward to achieving the energy savings guarantee, shrink the campus’ carbon footprint, and help RCC become an even stronger leader in campus sustainability.”
The College is working with the State University of New York (SUNY) to fund half of the investment. The remaining investment will be financed through a tax-exempt municipal lease, a funding mechanism well established for energy performance projects, and incentives, most notably a $1.1 million Commercial & Industrial Program incentive from Orange & Rockland Utilities.
O&R President and CEO Tim Cawley said, “This is an excellent example of how O&R partners with its customers to help them save energy, save money and save the environment. Reducing energy use is part of a sustainable business model that helps all of our customers provide for a more secure future. The technology reduces both operating costs and our customers’ carbon footprint.”
The project impacts 9 buildings on campus and encompasses 14 retrofit measures, including the installation of a new combined heat and power (CHP) plant, stage lighting upgrade and air conditioning for the Cultural Arts Center Theater, installation of task lights and electrical outlets at the Library Media Center, installation of water stations around campus, upgrades to both the chiller and boiler plants, improved air quality at Brucker Hall, and more.
Ecosystem is also providing a comprehensive communications and energy efficiency awareness program, ensuring that RCC’s academic curriculum will take advantage of this unique opportunity.
Design work is currently underway, and construction is expected to start in early 2017 and end in 2018.
For project updates and additional resources, please visit http://www.sunyrockland.edu/about/the-college/greening-of-rcc/energy-savings-project
About Ecosystem
Ecosystem is an award-winning design-build engineering firm that has retrofitted over 1,000 buildings in North America. The company’s projects have generated more than $200 million in cumulative savings and helped avoid 360,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Ecosystem’s buildings are more energy efficient, less expensive to operate, and are better for the environment. Learn more: www.ecosystem-energy.com
About Rockland Community College
Rockland Community College (RCC), one of the 64 institutions in the State University of New York (SUNY), offers a quality education in a safe, supportive and picturesque environment. RCC prepares students for transfer or career with 50 degree and certificate programs. Small classes, taught by experienced faculty, help ensure student success. Most graduates transfer to four year colleges and universities. RCC alumni achieve success in a wide range of fields including law, medicine, business, the arts and education.
About Orange & Rockland Utilities
Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc., one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies. O&R is a regulated utility that provides electric service to approximately 300,000 customers in southeastern New York State (where its franchise name is Orange & Rockland) and northern New Jersey (where it’s Rockland Electric Company). O&R also provides natural gas service to approximately 130,000 customers in New York.
Source: Business Newswire
