ALBANY, NY — In an effort to save approximately $425,000 in annual energy costs, the Oswego City School District teamed up with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Siemens Building Technologies to install energy-efficient lighting and motors in 10 school buildings.

The school district is participating in NYSERDA’s Commercial/Industrial Performance Program, which is providing $133,337 for lighting and motor upgrades. NYSERDA’s contribution is part of a $4.6 million project that also includes new energy-efficient windows and a building control system.

“It is important that school districts like Oswego take advantage of the programs NYSERDA has to offer,” said William M. Flynn, president of NYSERDA. “Under the direction of Governor Pataki, NYSERDA is helping a number of schools, businesses, and municipalities to improve energy efficiency and lower energy bills around the state.”

In addition to the funding for new lighting and motors, NYSERDA awarded $44,044 for a comprehensive energy audit of school district facilities and provided $25,000 for the purchase and installation of a web-enabled advanced monitoring (WEAM) system. The WEAM system will help the school district evaluate overall energy use, and the comprehensive energy audit will determine where the school is currently losing energy.

The latest in energy management technology, WEAM systems allow for energy profiling, billing, and rate analysis. By strategically placing a number of meters throughout a facility, users can compare daily energy use. Customers are able to analyze the information from the meters by logging into an assigned website on the Internet. The information is then used to assess the energy demand on a weekly and monthly basis in order to help decrease future energy consumption.

Funding for these projects comes from NYSERDA’s New York Energy Smart program, which is designed to lower 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.

Publication date: 03/11/2002