NYSERDA Press Releases

L.I. Jewish Medical Center Invests More Than $6.2 Million In Energy Improvements
New Cooling Systems Provide Added Comfort for Patients and Staff

New Hyde Park, NY – The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has partnered with the Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJMC) and the engineering firm of Flack + Kurtz Inc. on a $6.2 million dollar project to improve energy efficiency at the Medical Center's 48-acre campus. NYSERDA will provide approximately $1.75 million dollars to help LIJMC replace cooling equipment, including three 750-ton high-pressure absorption chillers. LIJMC is expected to save approximately $300,000 in annual utility costs.

"As one of the most esteemed, non-profit teaching hospitals in the State, Long Island Jewish Medical Center is taking a cost-effective approach to keeping their operating costs low through energy efficiency, while also improving conditions for both patients and staff," said NYSERDA President William M. Flynn. "This project, as well as hundreds of other NYSERDA-sponsored projects, support Governor Pataki's plan to strengthen New York's economy by helping businesses, institutions, and consumers save money by reducing their energy use."

"I applaud Long Island Jewish Medical Center for taking the initiative to improve their energy efficiency," said Senator Frank Padavan. "This project will help the hospital avoid additional electricity costs and offset electric growth on the State's electricity grid. I encourage more businesses and institutions to follow LIJMC's lead and improve their energy efficiency to cut costs."


"The energy center now under construction on the LIJ Medical Center campus will power the major reconstruction projects planned for LIJ Hospital, Schneider Children's Hospital and The Zucker Hillside Hospital," said Paul Hochenberg, executive director at LIJ Medical Center. "NYSERDA's support was key in helping the LIJ Medical Center meet its future energy needs, enabling us to move forward on a bold new expansion plan that will significantly enhance the quality of care we provide to our patients."

The new chillers will help provide cooling to more than one million square feet of buildings at LIJMC. Flack + Kurtz Inc., acting as the energy service company for this project, will be instrumental in the installation and start-up of the new equipment. As a result of the upgrades, LIJMC is expected to avoid adding more than 7.2 million kWh annually to the State's electricity grid, which is enough electricity to power more than1200 homes for a year.

This project was done through NYSERDA's Commercial/Industrial Performance Program, which provides financial incentives to energy service companies and engineering firms that work with municipal, industrial, and commercial utility customers to identify and implement energy-saving strategies. The incentives, combined with the energy savings, help to pay for the capital improvements. The level of incentives that NYSERDA provides depends on the level of energy savings achieved in a given project as well as the types of efficiency measures implemented.

NYSERDA is active in the health care sector in the New York City area, with projects at Brooklyn VA Hospital and St. Vincent's Hospital (Staten Island). NYSERDA also providing support to Memorial Sloan and developing a project at Metropolitan Jewish Health Systems. It is estimated that these projects will save approximately 5 million kWh and NYSERDA is providing approximately incentives of $675,000.

LIJMC is an 829 bed voluntary, non-profit tertiary care teaching hospital serving the greater metropolitan New York area, Queens and Long Island. The 48-acre campus is located in New Hyde Park, 15 miles east of Manhattan on the border of Queens and Nassau Counties. A medical staff of approximately 1,400 affiliated physicians and dentists teach and serve in the inpatient and ambulatory care units. LIJMC House Staff totals over 500 Residents and Fellows in 45 ACGME-approved specialty programs and 16 Fellowships.

Since 1998, NYSERDA has provided more than $12 million to support more than 120 projects in Queens and Nassau Counties. Combined with co-funding from NYSERDA's partners, the value of these projects is more than $48 million. Among some of the other customers NYSERDA is working with in the area are: Babco, Inc., St. John's University, Brause Plaza Co., Hofstra University, and Krinos Food, Inc.

Funding for this project came from NYSERDA's New York Energy $mart^SM 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. All New York Energy $mart^SM programs are funded by a System Benefits Charge (SBC) paid by electric distribution customers of participating utilities. NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation established by law in 1975, administers SBC funds and programs under an agreement with the Public Service Commission. Additional information about these programs can be obtained at www.nyserda.org or 1-866-NYSERDA.

###