Ecosystem has been selected by Rockland Community College (RCC) to perform an extensive energy efficiency retrofit at the College’s campus in Suffern, New York. The project is expected to reduce RCC’s energy costs by 43%, improve its building infrastructure, improve indoor comfort levels, and lower its environmental footprint. The project, expected to begin in 2016, includes major retrofits and upgrades of RCC’s heating, cooling and ventilation systems, which will reduce RCC’s purchased electricity load and enable the College to generate part of its own power, hence increasing its resiliency during emergency situations.
Ecosystem is now working on a detailed study aiming at confirming the annual savings and total investments. The implementation is expected to last about a year.
The project will lower the College’s greenhouse gas emissions by 800 metric tons per year and reduce water consumption by nearly 150,000 gallons per year. The campus upgrade includes the installation of new water bottle refill stations, which will encourage students to opt for sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic bottles. The project will also improve comfort levels and air quality and the buildings will be easier for RCC’s Plant Facilities staff to operate.
“Rockland Community College, with its commitment to reducing our carbon footprint, is very excited about the energy reduction project we plan to embark upon with Ecosystem. The project plays a major role in helping us fulfill our Sustainability Mission statement, in which we pledge to sharply reduce our global warming emissions,” said Dr. Cliff L. Wood, President of RCC.
“Ecosystem is very pleased to partner with Rockland Community College on this energy efficiency retrofit. We look forward to helping the College achieve significant energy savings and at the same time reduce its environmental footprint,” said André Rochette, President and CEO of Ecosystem.
Ecosystem will guarantee the project cost, grants and subsidies, and 95% of the projected annual savings of $560,000. The College is working with the State University of New York (SUNY) and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) to fund half of the investment. The remaining investment will be financed through a tax-exempt municipal lease, a funding mechanism well established for energy performance projects. Thanks to deep building design engineering strategies and the guaranteed project cost and annual energy savings, this investment will be self-financed within 11 years.
Ecosystem is also providing a comprehensive communications and energy efficiency awareness program, ensuring that RCC’s academic curriculum will take advantage of this unique opportunity. The awareness program begins with a sweepstakes that coincides with NYC Climate Week (September 21-28) to reiterate RCC’s commitment to sustainability and to introduce the students and staff to the project.
Rockland Community College, founded in 1959, is a community colleges in the State University of New York and the only public higher education institution in Rockland County. Enrollment of more than 7,000 credit students includes 1,500 students over the age of 30 and 75 international students. RCC offers 40 associate degree and certificate programs. Most graduates transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Students from RCC’s nationally recognized Honors Program transfer to Ivy Leagues and other outstanding colleges.