| FOR RELEASE: May 2, 2003 (Immediately)
CONTACT: Peter Sigurdson (716) 842-1522 ext. 3006
West Seneca Central School District To Save
$230,291 in Annual Energy Costs
NYSERDA Provides $198,513 Financial Incentive
West Seneca, NY -- The West Seneca Central School District (WSCSD)
will save more than $230,000 in annual energy costs through energy-efficiency
measures implemented through a partnership with the New York State
Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Siemens Building
Technologies, Inc. of Amherst.
"Our project with the West Seneca Central School District and
Siemens represents another 'win-win' partnership. By taking advantage
of incentives offered by NYSERDA, the school district was able to
identify areas in its physical plant and operations where energy efficiencies
and savings could be realized," said NYSERDA Acting President
Peter R. Smith.
"Working with NYSERDA and Siemens, school district officials
were able to select which energy-efficient measures would be implemented,
resulting in a reduction of the district's annual energy bill by $230,291,
which will help lower the cost of education to district taxpayers,"
Smith added.
"The partnership with Siemens and NYSERDA has proven to be beneficial
to the West Seneca Central School District. We have been able to make
some much-needed upgrades to our physical plant and at the same time
improve our financial bottom line," said WSCSD Board of Education
President David Smaczniak.
"The school board and district staff spend many untold hours
searching for opportunities to operate a quality school system in
the most cost effective manner possible," stated Superintendent
of Schools James K. Brotz. "The more than $230,000 savings to
the West Seneca Central School District and the West Seneca community
will help us attain that objective."
"We are pleased to have created a partnership with NYSERDA that
provided the financial incentives through energy and operating cost-savings
improvements. This allowed West Seneca Central School District to
upgrade its aging facilities and at the same time save the taxpayers
dollars with guaranteed results from Siemens," said Siemens General
Manager and WSCSD alumnus Patrick W. McParlane.
Smith said the total project cost is $4,109,199 with NYSERDA providing
$198,513 in financial incentives. Siemens utilized $128,513 in financial
incentives through NYSERDA's ongoing Commercial/Industrial Performance
Program (CIPP), to reduce the cost of energy-efficiency upgrades.
Under CIPP, financial incentives provided by NYSERDA go directly to
energy service companies, such as Siemens, to help lower the overall
project cost and to help promote the development of the energy service
company sector of the State's economy.
Financial assistance was also available through NYSERDA's Institutional
Energy Performance Contracting Assistance Program (IEPCP), a program
which has now ended, in the amount of $70,000 for an energy audit
and Web-Enabled Advanced Metering (enhanced interval electric metering).
Siemens undertook a building analysis and produced an energy conservation
audit that encompassed 12 buildings in the West Seneca Central School
District, including: East Senior High; West Senior High; East Middle/Elementary;
West Middle; Allendale Elementary; Clinton Elementary; Northwood Elementary;
Potters Road Elementary; West Elementary; Winchester Elementary; Alternative
Education; and the district bus garage.
Although each building had different upgrades implemented, in general,
the energy-efficient measures recommended and installed by Siemens
included: lighting retrofit (T-8 lamps); energy management systems;
high efficiency motors; boiler replacement; and installation of thermal
glazing on windows.
It is anticipated that the West Seneca Central School District will
realize approximately $135,332 in annual electric savings and $94,959
in annual natural gas savings. The District will see an annual reduction
of 4,405 kilowatts and 151,717 ccf in natural gas.
Funding for the Commercial/Industrial Performance Program is provided
through NYSERDA's New York Energy $martSM 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.
All New York Energy $martSM 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.
Since 1998, NYSERDA has provided more than $26 million to support
more than 500 projects in Erie and Niagara Counties. Combined with
co-funding from NYSERDA's partners, the value of these projects is
more than $65 million. Among some of the other customers NYSERDA is
working with in Erie and Niagara Counties, are: State University of
New York at Buffalo, Veridian Engineering, Inc., Quebecor, Kreher's
Poultry Farm, HSBC Bank USA and Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.
Additional information about these programs can be obtained at www.nyserda.org
or www.getenergysmart.org, or toll-free at (877) NY-SMART.
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