According to The New York Power Authority, (NYPA) work is underway on an Energy Master Plan for the city of Syracuse to help reduce overall energy costs and carbon emissions, advance energy sustainability, and support green industries and jobs. In addition, a new page on the NYPA website has been created to solicit ideas from the public and present details on the master-plan process.
The Energy Master Plan being undertaken in partnership with Syracuse is one of five such initiatives that NYPA is spearheading for several New York municipalities. The other cities are Albany, Buffalo, Rochester and Yonkers.
The initiative complements the Build Smart NY Program, established by governor Andrew Cuomo in his December 2012 Executive Order 88, which aims to improve energy efficiency in state government buildings by 20% by 2020.
As part of the Energy Master Plan effort for Syracuse, NYPA selected an architectural and engineering firm, La Bella Associates, P.C., headquartered in Rochester, to develop a roadmap tailored to the specific energy-use circumstances and features of Syracuse. A NYPA-led team will work with local utilities, civic and government entities, and environmental groups, including Central and Northern New York Building and Construction Trades Council, National Grid, and Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems. The team will also consider energy-saving ideas submitted through the new webpage, www.nypa.gov/buildsmartny/fivecities.html.
"Being able to take full advantage of this unique program is great news for Syracuse," said Joanne Mahoney, Onondaga County executive and NYPA vice chairwoman. "Governor Cuomo's rigorous standards for energy efficiency challenge all levels of government and the private sector to work together to reduce energy costs and lower carbon emissions. The energy master plans the Power Authority has for Syracuse and other cities support these and other goals, including the creation of 'green' industry jobs."
"The Power Authority is looking forward to partnering with the city of Syracuse on the development of this far-reaching Energy Master Plan," said Gil Quiniones, NYPA president and chief executive officer. "This initiative will reduce energy consumption and operating and maintenance costs, thereby enabling Syracuse to redeploy resources to other priority functions, providing a net benefit to the city and community."
"The city of Syracuse has developed a Sustainability Plan to help us maximize our energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and create a pedestrian and bike friendly community," said Syracuse mayor Stephanie Miner. "I welcome NYPA's complementary efforts. I look forward to reviewing their plan and working to implement their recommendations. We in Syracuse appreciate the support of the state of New York going forward as we address major planning issues."
The master plan for Syracuse will focus on improving energy efficiency in four principal areas: energy planning and coordination, including review of Syracuse's energy purchases; the energy delivery infrastructure; transportation, including review of the city's transportation fleet and transit centers; and energy efficiency in buildings. The plan will also focus on the revitalization of Syracuse's urban center to attract new businesses and residents, using such measures as the re-purposing of old buildings and the development of new green infrastructure, as well as the adaptive reuse of brownfields where possible.
The individual master plans for Syracuse and the other four cities are expected to be completed by the fall with implementation of the recommendations to follow. Public and stakeholder engagement will occur throughout the process.
"The development of energy master plans through this partnership with the Power Authority will provide an exciting opportunity to bolster the ongoing revitalization and competitiveness of these five great cities. By improving energy efficiency and developing green, resilient neighborhoods, this initiative will produce cost savings, drive local job growth, enhance sustainability and improve quality-of-life," said Donna De Costanzo, senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "We applaud Governor Cuomo and NYPA for this innovative initiative, which will not only result in tremendous benefits here in New York, but can serve as a model for other cities around the country."
"The development of these five municipal energy master plans is a critical step forward to reducing energy consumption and advancing energy sustainability," said John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. "This work, along with Governor Cuomo's Build Smart NY initiative, is a great example of how the Governor's clean energy agenda can create energy and cost savings and improve communities through partnerships with local governments." Tags: