Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has issued an Executive Order directing state agencies to increase energy efficiency in state buildings by 20 percent in seven years.
The Governor also launched “Build Smart NY,” a plan to strategically implement the Executive Order by accelerating priority improvements in energy performance.
“Improving energy efficiency in our buildings is a smart investment in our present and future,” Governor Cuomo said. “Through Build Smart NY, state government can produce significant savings for New York taxpayers and generate thousands of jobs, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than eight million metric tons – which is the same as taking one million cars off the road for one year.
“Furthermore, most of the projects will pay for themselves as their energy savings will cover their costs, making this initiative a financial and environmental win-win for New Yorkers.”
To meet the goal, the administration designed Build Smart NY, a strategic implementation plan that will use state building energy data to prioritize projects that will deliver the greatest energy savings per dollar spent.
The largest and most inefficient buildings will be addressed first and undergo comprehensive whole-building improvements. Building improvements include measures like new lighting fixtures and controls, heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems, electric motors, and automated energy management systems.
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) has committed to provide $450 million in low-cost financing for the initiative. Additionally, for most projects, no upfront capital spending will be required because agencies will be able to repay the loans through the projects’ energy savings.
Also in support of Build Smart NY, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) array of energy efficiency programs provide information to help state agencies and others make informed energy decisions and also provide financial incentives to help offset the costs of energy efficiency improvements.
Already, data has been collected on over 180 million square feet of buildings and campuses — about 95 percent of the State’s building stock, and work has started on 30 million square feet of real estate.
Tony Malkin, president of Malkin Holdings, supervisor of the Empire State Building, said, “The Governor is demonstrating
strong leadership in his Build Smart NY initiative to increase energy efficiency throughout the state’s property.
“New York State is using the best lessons from private practice and creating a large scale public policy initiative based on real data to determine investment and return.
“The program will prioritize projects and apply resources to the buildings that can deliver the biggest bang for taxpayer dollars, while making sure to share case studies and building information with the public. I applaud the Governor for this initiative which will create jobs and save New Yorkers money.”
