April 21, 2010

NYSERDA and Cornell University Exchange Awards for Work in Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

At Campus Ceremony, NYSERDA Receives First Annual Partners in Sustainability Award, Recognizes Cornell for Energy Efficiency Measures in New Life Sciences Building

At a ceremony recognizing Cornell University’s campus-wide Sustainability Month activities, Cornell University and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today honored a long-term partnership by recognizing each institution’s contributions to promoting sustainability measures.

Noting that NYSERDA has provided Cornell with millions of dollars over the past ten years to support both energy-saving initiatives and more than 25 research projects, Cornell presented NYSERDA with its first annual Cornell University Partners in Sustainability Award.  The award cited the Authority’s support and partnership in energy conservation and renewable energy initiatives across Cornell’s operations, research, and cooperative extension program.

Following the presentation, NYSERDA presented Cornell with a High Performance Building Plaque to university officials in recognition of the energy efficient measures the University incorporated into its recently completed Life Sciences building.  NYSERDA provided the University with more than $70,000 to fund features that will help cuts its energy costs by more than $124,000 per year, and achieve LEED^® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Buildings Council.

“Under the leadership of President David Skorton, Cornell University has been an invaluable partner with NYSERDA in conducting innovative energy and climate research,” said Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO of NYSERDA.  “The work being done at this institution will advance the goals of sustainability in New York State and throughout the world.

 “Today, we honor Cornell for its work on this specific project, while recognizing the University’s unique and comprehensive commitment to sustainability that serves as an example for institutions around the world,” Murray said.  “We look forward to partnering further with Cornell and all of New York’s higher education institutions to help reduce their energy costs and achieve the ambitious energy reductions goals set by Governor David Paterson.”

“NYSERDA has been a strong partner with Cornell in energy conservation and innovation,” said Cornell President David J. Skorton.  “We are pleased to receive the High Performance Building Plaque for Weill Hall and greatly appreciate this recognition of Cornell’s commitment to sustainability, which NYSERDA has done so much to advance and support.”

NYSERDA’s funding supported energy-saving features including high performance window glazing, lighting occupancy sensors, a high performance exhaust system, and carbon dioxide sensors, among others.  As a result of these investments, Cornell University is anticipated to reduce its energy consumption by more than 880,000 kWh per year, the equivalent to the electricity consumed by approximately 135 single family homes per year.

Cornell University is the 31st recipient of a High Performance Building Plaque.  The plaques are presented to hospitals, colleges and universities, schools, businesses, and other organizations that have constructed buildings designed to perform at least 30 percent above the New York State Energy Conservation Construction Code.  The Cornell Life Sciences building is rated to perform 31 percent above code.

Also at today’s ceremony, Cornell University’s Sustainable Campus Committee presented NYSERDA with the first annual Cornell University Partners in Sustainability Award.  The award was made to NYSERDA in recognition of its ongoing support and partnership in energy conservation and renewable energy initiatives across Cornell’s operations, research, and cooperative extension program. 

Over the past 10 years, Cornell and NYSERDA have developed partnerships in sustainability and energy conservation initiatives including:

• Over 25 major research projects totaling more than $5 million
• Development of the Cornell Climate Action Plan
• A combined heat and power facility for campus heating and electricity
• Major energy efficiency upgrades to existing campus buildings
• Construction of green labs including the Riley Robb Biofuels Lab and Weill Hall
• Energy and climate education opportunities through cooperative extension across New York State.

“Cornell is proud to recognize NYSERDA’s ongoing support for energy-related innovation in New York State,” said Kyu-Jung Whang, Vice President for Facility Services at Cornell.  “Together Cornell and NYSERDA have shown how partnerships between government and higher education can provide businesses with technological breakthroughs, inform decision-makers with reliable science, and enable the public to implement home-based renewable energy and energy conservation.”

“On behalf of NYSERDA’s Board of Directors and staff it is my honor to accept the first ever Cornell University Partners in Sustainability Award,” Murray added.  “This award is a true testament to the many partnerships in academia NYSERDA has forged over the years as we work to make New York more energy secure and environmentally healthy for the next generation.”

NYSERDA’s New Construction Program has previously awarded High Performance Building Plaques to other higher education institutions including Roberts Wesleyan College’s Golisano Library (Monroe), Empire State College (Saratoga), SUNY Rockland Community College’s New Technology building (Rockland), and Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Bronx), among others.  The program’s goal is to effect a permanent transformation in the way buildings are designed and constructed by offering technical support to building design teams and financial incentives to building owners.  In addition, the program offers services and incentives to building owners and designers to encourage green building practices, as well as commissioning, peak-load reduction, and energy storage.  State and local governments, schools, healthcare facilities, and not-for-profit organizations that pay into the System Benefits Charge (SBC) are eligible to participate.

Governor Paterson’s ’45 by 15’ clean energy policy calls for New York to reduce its electricity consumption by 15 percent through improved energy efficiency and increase the proportion of renewable energy used by New York consumers to 30 percent by the year 2015.

For more information, visit NYSERDA.ny.gov.

Contact:
Jeffrey Gordon, NYSERDA
518-862-1090 ext. 3544
jrg@nyserda.ny.gov