Contact:
Beau Duffy: 518-257-3382
bduffy@dasny.org

DASNY Awarded LEED Green Building Certification

ALBANY, NY: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced today that the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York has been awarded LEED-EB Gold (Existing Building) by the Green Building Certification Institute for energy efficiency, environmental, and operational improvements that have been made at the Authority's headquarters at 515 Broadway in Albany. The award is the result of more than a decade of improvements which have resulted in a nearly 30% reduction in energy usage, and a 40% savings in energy costs from their peak.

Gold is the second highest designation on the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED-EB ratings system. DASNY becomes one of only a handful of state-owned buildings to officially achieve LEED-EB Gold certification.

"I want to commend the Dormitory Authority for making a positive commitment to energy efficiency which has resulted in a dramatic reduction in energy use and savings for taxpayers," said Governor Cuomo. "DASNY has set an example to follow as we work to make energy efficiency improvements across all New York State agencies and authorities."

As part of his clean energy and environmental initiatives, Governor Cuomo has directed the New York Power Authority to spearhead $450 million of investments in cost-effective energy efficiency upgrades at State buildings over the next four years. The goal is to reduce energy consumption in State buildings by 20%.

"I want to thank our employees and our partners who have assisted DASNY in this process, which has resulted in an extremely energy efficient and environmentally sound building," said DASNY President Paul Williams. "DASNY is committed to operating as efficiently as possible and also to supporting sustainable approaches to construction projects that will offer similar operational savings for our clients."

"DASNY's LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building and government leadership," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, and U.S. Green Building Council. "The urgency of USGBC's mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and DASNY serves as an example of just how much we can accomplish."

"NYSERDA congratulates the Dormitory Authority on its LEED-EB Gold certification. The Dormitory Authority is setting a great example of the energy savings that can be realized by large energy consumers through various energy-efficient operational changes," said Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO of NYSERDA. "The Authority's accomplishment underscores Governor Cuomo's commitment to make energy efficiency upgrades in State buildings which would reduce energy costs incurred by the state and ultimately the ratepayers, and produce environmental benefits."

"The cost savings demonstrated by the Dormitory Authority's commitment to energy efficiency should put an end to the myth that smart, sustainable building practices are too expensive," said Assembly Energy Committee Chair Kevin Cahill. "Their recognition is well deserved and should be looked to as a model for both the public and private sectors."

DASNY's six-floor, 180,000 square foot office building was constructed in 1997, and initially received an Energy Star rating of 73. Through a series of operational and energy efficiency improvements championed by the building's maintenance staff and employees, that Energy Star rating is currently 92. Those improvements include:

• Changing the after-hours maintenance schedule to clean one floor at a time, keeping lights off in the rest of the building and cutting overnight lighting usage by an estimated 70%.
• Installation of systems that will light portions of the building when they become occupied (through card swipe controls), track energy use, and confirm comfort of occupants.
• Use of CO² sensors in each high-occupancy room (conference rooms, etc.) to sense whether the room is occupied, eliminating the need for air exchange in unoccupied rooms.
• Use of highly efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs in all exterior lighting, saving $2,000 in energy costs per year, in addition to saving the costs of maintaining the old lights - bulbs, ballasts, and the required staff time. This work also greatly improved the quality of the street lighting, and protects night-sky quality.
• Replacement of interior lighting with high-efficiency fluorescent lighting and ballasts, saving 30% on energy usage and an estimated $900 per month in costs (project is underway).
• Decommissioning of the building's humidification system, after it was determined by engineers and input from occupants to be unnecessary.
• Looping building water outdoors under the sidewalks to pre-warm our domestic hot water in the summer and melt snow in the winter, eliminating need to clear walks of snow and ice and improving safety for pedestrians.
• Installation of solar panels (2002) on the roof which supply approximately 6% of the building's electricity needs when operating at peak. The installation was made possible through a cost share with NYSERDA.
• Use of sustainable cleaning products and recycled paper products.
• Purchase of renewable energy credits covering 100% of electricity use through September of 2012.

The Authority's energy improvements in its own building have served as examples for many of the construction projects it manages for its public and private not-for-profit clients. In 2008, DASNY adopted a new policy to integrate green construction techniques into all of its new construction, addition, and significant renovation work. So far, 45 DASNY-managed projects have been registered with the U.S. Green Building Council, and 7 have been awarded LEED certification.

LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings. Over 100,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED rating systems. More information is available at the U.S. Green Building Council's website: http://www.usgbc.org/

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