September 02, 2010

Crouse Hospital Receives $360,000 in Federal Stimulus Funding for Energy Conservation Project

Congressman Dan Maffei, NYSERDA President and CEO Francis J. Murray, and Crouse Hospital President and CEO Paul Kronenberg Announce Funding; Crouse will install 8,000 energy efficient light bulbs across two buildings in major energy efficiency overhaul

Joined by Congressman Dan Maffei, officials from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today announced an award of more than $360,000 to Crouse Hospital in Syracuse to fund a lighting retrofit project. Crouse Hospital President and CEO Paul Kronenberg, MD, said that the award, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), will save the hospital more than $100,000 per year in energy costs.

Crouse Hospital's energy-efficient lighting project is one of nine energy conservation and renewable energy projects in Onondaga County totaling nearly $2.1 million in federal ARRA support. These funds will help local governments, educational institutions, and not-for-profit organizations reduce annual energy costs by hundreds of thousands of dollars. The funds also support 12 energy conservation studies that will help to identify additional projects where greater energy efficiencies and cost-savings can be achieved.

Representative Dan Maffei said: “The Recovery Act has brought millions of dollars of funding to Central and Upstate for projects from the VA Hospital to emergency funds for food banks to tax cuts for working families. Today's announcement of more than $360,000 for Crouse Hospital' energy efficiency project shows that we can make investments today that will pay dividends for many years to come in the form of less energy consumption and lower utility bills. I applaud Crouse Hospital for taking on this energy retrofit project and am very pleased the Recovery Act could assist in this endeavor.”

Francis J. Murray Jr., president and CEO of NYSERDA said: “All across New York State, federal stimulus funds are helping hospitals, local governments, K-12 schools and higher education institutions lower energy costs and reduce their carbon footprints, while creating green jobs for our clean energy economy. I commend Crouse Hospital for its commitment to reducing energy consumption and protecting the environment. This lighting project, along with the many other energy conservation and clean energy projects funded through ARRA, will help New York State achieve Governor David Paterson's ambitious clean energy goals.”

Crouse Hospital President and CEO Paul Kronenberg, MD said: “This is a great opportunity for Crouse to partner with NYSERDA to upgrade almost 2,000 lighting fixtures in the Irving Unit building, which we estimate will provide a projected annual energy savings of more than $100,000. We are also grateful to Congressman Maffei for his efforts in supporting the use of federal Recovery Act funding for this purpose.”

The funding announced today will allow the hospital to replace less efficient light fixtures and bulbs with more efficient lighting. Crouse estimates it will replace 4,000 fixtures and 8,000 light bulbs in the Irving and Memorial buildings of the hospital before September 1st of 2011. After installation, energy consumption will be reduced by nearly 1.8 million kilowatt hours annually and provide improved lighting quality throughout the hospital.

Onondaga County energy projects that received Recovery Act funds include:

• Town of Dewitt, $24,800 for an energy conservation study
• Marcellus Central Schools, $127,950 for an energy conservation study and a lighting retro-fit project
• Learning Disabilities Association of Central New York, $1,730 for an energy conservation study
• Tully Hill Corporation, $6,300 for an energy conservation study
• YMCA of Greater Syracuse, $18,350 for an energy conservation study
• United Cerebral Palsy & Handicapped Children's Association of Syracuse, $18,340 for an energy conservation study
• Village of Elbridge, $3,000 for an energy conservation study
• Abundant Life Christian Center, $30,000 for an energy conservation study
• Salina Free Library, $3,900 for an energy conservation study
• Jewish Home of Central New York, $30,000 for an energy conservation study
• Dunbar Association, Inc., $8,000 for an energy conservation study
• Holy Cross Church, $25,000 for an energy conservation study
• Village of Skaneateles, $52,000 to install energy efficient pumping equipment for the Villages' pumping system
• Town of Dewitt, $102,000 to hire energy management personnel to coordinated the Town's ‘green’ initiatives
• Onondaga County, $473,500 to upgrade controls system in the county building and complete a heat recovery project for the Justice Center
• Saint Joseph's Hospital Health Center, $276,000 to replace thermostats
• Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District, $535,000 to install solar-electric PV systems at the middle and high school buildings.

The twenty-fifth congressional district, which encompasses areas of Cayuga, Monroe, Onondaga, and Wayne counties, has been awarded more than $3.1 million in ARRA funds for 13 energy conservation and renewable energy projects and 17 energy conservation studies. Combined, these projects will reduce the energy cost burden by nearly $450,000 per year.

Contact:

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

Abby Gardner, Congressman Dan Maffei
Abigail.gardner@mail.house.gov