The United States contributes to 15% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and consumable energy use. New York State has implemented executive orders that mandate State Facilities to conserve energy, construct energy efficient buildings, and produce renewable energy. Stony Brook University is leading SUNY in energy reduction efforts.
In an effort to meet the New York State mandated goals of energy reduction through Executive Order 88, Stony Brook Medicine has partnered with the New York State Power Authority’s Energy Efficiency Program which provides capital improvement financing based on a project’s energy cost savings payback. This executive order also mandates state facilities to reduce energy use per occupied square foot by 20%. The 20% energy reduction deadline is 2020. Stony Brook Medicine is on target to meet this goal.
Stony Brook Medicine started the energy reduction process with a comprehensive energy audit conducted throughout the East Campus buildings. The findings from the energy audit provided a list of potential projects that included capital improvements and low cost maintenance energy savings tasks. For each project an associated high level scope of work and energy savings calculations were provided. The projects that were most efficient and implemented included:
- Street Lighting, Building Exterior Lighting, and Parking Garage Lighting
- Replacement of 40% of the Hospital’s Air Handlers
- Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Upgrades, including variable heat boxes, variable motor controls, upgraded controls, a solar wall for heating
- Sub-metering utilities to monitor usage by building and to identify saving potentials
- Building envelope improvements by replacing the existing infrastructure with insulated panels and sealing the building’s exterior
These projects will be completed by the 2020 deadline. In addition to meeting the 2020 goals, Stony Brook Medicine will recognize an annual utility cost savings of $3.25 million dollars. The energy conservation from the completed work is the equivalent of taking 2,813 cars off the road annually, reducing the greenhouse gas emissions.
The new MART Cancer Center and Hospital Pavilion will contribute to our total energy reduction goal because it is a LEED-certified Silver building and has utilized the best energy efficient construction practices which minimizes the energy use by square foot.
SUNY has also partnered with the New York Power Authority to accomplish the Build Smart 2025 goal which will afford additional energy savings and renewable energy projects. Stony Brook Medicine has approved additional projects that are in design. Once implemented they will contribute to these goals as well as the New York State’s new 2030 renewable energy goals.
Stony Brook Medicine is committed to sustainability through energy conservation and will continue to make capital improvements that include saving energy and incorporating renewable energy into future projects.