Annual Energy Conservation Savings at Erie County Buildings to Rise Following Lighting Projects
Partnership with National Grid Provides Rebates, Incentives to Conserve Energy
ERIE COUNTY, NY – September 3, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Erie County is poised to reap thousands of dollars in annual energy savings following the installation of new, efficient lighting at the Edward A. Rath county office building and at Old County Hall. This re-lamp process was aided by rebates offered by National Grid, which offset the cost of materials and installation of the new bulbs. Nearly $15,000 in annual, recurring savings will be realized from two lighting projects already completed at the Rath building and Old County Hall, while as much as $90,000 in annual, recurring savings could be realized following the re-lamping of the entire Rath building, a project scheduled to begin in September.
“Energy conservation is an easily-identified and effective way to cut waste and make more efficient use of energy resources, saving money at the same time as we use less energy,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Projects such as this result in annually recurring savings which have never been realized before, but will be now on a regular basis. My thanks go to the Energy Office and to National Grid for collaborating to identify and make possible this energy conservation measure, which will be beneficial for years to come.”
At Old Erie County Hall, the main chandelier and wall sconces were re-lamped with energy-efficient light bulbs which cost Erie County $1,867; this Project, for which National Grid provided a $2,090 rebate for materials and labor, is expected to save Erie County approximately $9,724 annually. A related project involved re-lamping the stairwells and part of the parking garage in the Edward A. Rath county office building with energy-efficient bulbs, at a cost of $6,045; a National Grid rebate for materials of $3,900 adds to the $4,526 in annual savings that this phase of the project is anticipated to provide. A complete re-lamping of the Rath building, expected to begin in September, could produce as much as $90,125 in annual savings; National Grid’s provision of a $140,000 rebate assists in offsetting the anticipated $217,000 cost for materials for this part of the project.
“Sustainability can be a driver of economic development and now is a great time for Erie County to help ‘lead by example’ – it starts with savings like these,” said Eric Walker, Director of Energy Development. “We want to continue to implement even bigger projects like these and work to localize the benefit of a clean energy economy right here in Western New York.”
The Erie County Energy Management Office, a key component of the County Executive’s “Initiatives for a Smart Economy”, was established in partnership with National Grid and NYSERDA to analyze and implement energy conservation measures, along with renewable energy investments, in county buildings.
