2006

FOR RELEASE:                  Immediately  March 8, 2006
CONTACT:                          Peter Sigurdson, NYSERDA, (716) 842-1522  ext 3006
                                          Tim Clark, Erie Cty Exec, (716) 858-8500
                                          Mary Murray, Sheriff's Off., (716) 858-6962

Erie County Arrests High Energy Costs Through Efficiency Work With NYSERDA
Public safety buildings in Buffalo, Alden get energy saving upgrades

Erie County is arresting high energy costs at the county's Holding Center and Correctional Facility through a partnership with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Siemens Building Technologies that will deliver more than $140,000 in annual energy savings at the two facilities.

"NYSERDA has partnered with Erie County on multiple occasions to help reduce costs at its buildings, including the Main Branch of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library and Erie County Medical Center in recent years," said NYSERDA President Peter R. Smith.  "This most recent project is a continuation of the effort by Erie County government to cuts costs by reducing energy consumption."

"This announcement translates into real savings for the taxpayers of Erie County," said Erie County Executive Joel A. Giambra. "NYSERDA has been a huge help to us as we continue to find ways to cut costs in Erie County government."

"Retrofitting any building can be a huge undertaking, particularly a jail where security is of the utmost importance", said Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard. "I am pleased that we were able to maintain security and movement of the inmates at the Holding Center without any interruption of service while the retrofitting project was underway".

NYSERDA provided $158,036 in financial incentives through the New York Energy $mart^SM Commercial/Industrial Performance Program (CIPP) to help reduce the end-cost of the energy-efficiency upgrades.

In the past five years, the New York Energy $mart^SM Program has provided more than $42.17 million in energy-efficiency incentives to more than 1,300 customers in Erie County, ranging from county and local governments, commercial/industrial enterprises, small businesses, college and universities, various institutions, agri-business, homeowners and renters.

Under the program, financial incentives provided by NYSERDA go directly to energy service companies to help promote the development of this sector of the State's economy, and to lower the overall project cost.  In this instance, the Erie County worked with Siemens Building Technologies to perform the upgrades.

Improvements to the Holding Center in Buffalo and Correctional Facility, located in the Town of Alden, include the installation of high efficiency lighting and controls, premium efficiency motors and variable speed drives, variable frequency drives on cooling tower fans, the replacement of water-cooled air conditioning units, building envelope sealing, and incorporation of an energy management system to reduce hours of kitchen ventilation.

It is estimated that Erie County will save $146,557 annually in energy costs and more than 1.22 million kilowatts annually in energy use.

Funding for the Commercial/Industrial Performance Program and other NYSERDA incentives are provided through the New York Energy $mart^SM program, which lowers electricity costs by encouraging energy efficiency as the State's electric utilities move to competition. The programs are available to all electric distribution customers (residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial) of Central Hudson, Con Edison, NYSEG, Niagara Mohawk, Orange and Rockland, and Rochester Gas and Electric.

New York Energy $mart^SM programs are funded by a System Benefits Charge (SBC) paid by electric distribution customers of participating utilities. NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation established by law in 1975, administers SBC funds and programs under an agreement with the Public Service Commission.

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