Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
Pursuing a Greener Tomorrow with On-site Energy Manager
Overview
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), founded in 1950, is the largest transportation authority in Erie County with over 1,500 employees spread out across several different subsidiaries.
The NFTA has 18 primary facilities that range in use from bus garages to office spaces and comprise a combined 1,740,593 square feet. In addition to these facilities, the NFTA operates numerous smaller facilities to maintain everyday operations.
Each facility operates on its own HVAC system. Utilities for each site include natural gas and electric.
Through NYSERDA’s On-site Energy Manager (OsEM) Program, the NFTA engaged LaBella Associates to be an on-site energy manager. LaBella aided with energy management, identification of energy reduction projects, and improvement to the energy tracking and monitoring practices.
Project at a Glance
Company name:
Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
Industry:
Transportation
Location:
Buffalo
Size:
18 facilities, 1,740,593 square feet
Annual Electric Savings:
7,647,866 kWh
Annual Gas Savings:
31,929 MMBtu
Goals
- Track existing utility consumption through the New York Power Authority New York Energy Manager (NYEM) program to serve as a baseline for BuildSmart 2025 requirements.
- Identify energy conservation measures to achieve an electric reduction of 1,930,650 kWh and a natural gas reduction of 5,797 MMBtu.
- Develop a sustainability committee to guide adoption of sustainable practices at the NFTA.
Results
A total of 15 energy conservation measures were identified by LaBella during the one-year OsEM program, with an estimated combined savings of 7,647,866 kWh in electricity and 31,929 MMBtu in natural gas. Lighting upgrades, controls upgrades, building envelope improvements, and equipment upgrades were the most notable measures recommended. Utility accounts for each facility were linked in the NYEM platform to track progress towards BuildSmart 2025 requirements. Training sessions regarding Executive Order 22 requirements were conducted among relevant NFTA employees.
Communication Is Key
Communication was critical throughout the OsEM engagement. LaBella worked with the NFTA accounting department to link up utility accounts in NYEM. LaBella and the NFTA held monthly meetings discussing OsEM progress and quarterly meetings with the newly founded NFTA Sustainability Committee to discuss sustainability initiatives within the Authority.
The NYSERDA On-Site Energy Manager Program
Through the OsEM Pilot Program, NYSERDA cost-shares up to 75% of the cost to hire an OsEM. OsEMs work with companies to develop and implement successful energy and productivity projects. Projects may include operation and maintenance improvements, behavioral changes, energy efficiency upgrades, process improvements, throughput and scrap reduction improvements, and cost management.
Discover how to bring energy costs under control and maximize profitability.
Visit NYSERDA’s On-site Energy Manger program page or contact us at [email protected].