Energy Efficiency  -  August 20, 2019

Stony Brook U gets $79M for energy efficiency upgrades

The State of New York has committed $79 million in energy efficiency-saving upgrades for Stony Brook University, located on Long Island, that will reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions by 28,000 tons a year and save nearly $6 million in energy and maintenance costs annually. The latest energy-saving upgrades build upon the State University of New York’s (SUNY) and the New York Power Authority's (NYPA) recently announced Clean Energy Roadmap. 

The improvements, financed and implemented by NYPA in partnership with SUNY, encompass a variety of energy-saving measures, such as lighting, ventilation, and building management upgrades at Stony Brook buildings, including residence halls, science buildings, and University Hospital.

Together, SUNY and NYPA energy-saving projects have been implemented at more than 600 SUNY facilities, have reduced energy consumption by more than 6.2 megawatts, removed more than 48,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere, and saved $12.1 million annually. SUNY and NYPA are currently working on implementing energy-saving measures at more than 30 additional SUNY buildings that should reduce energy consumption by an additional 1.6 megawatts when completed.

"Energy-efficiency upgrades at SUNY schools are among the many ways in which New York is reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving costs in public buildings across the state," said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a statement announcing the upgrades. “The Stony Brook University project is part and parcel with our broader, nation-leading campaign to fight climate change and secure a cleaner, greener future for all New Yorkers.”

This latest announcement builds on Stony Brook's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. NYPA and SUNY have partnered to complete more than $50 million in energy efficiency upgrades on campus, removing nearly 16,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere and save millions of dollars on such projects as lighting and ventilation upgrades. 

These energy efficiency projects are part of the state’s BuildSmart NY program, a comprehensive statewide initiative to increase energy efficiency in public buildings. The goal is for the state’s facilities to be carbon-neutral across all sectors of the economy and achieve a zero-carbon emissions electricity sector by 2040.