Rockland County Green Showcase Projects

Yeager Health Complex Utility Plant Energy Audit

Rockland County has commissioned a comprehensive energy audit of the utility plant of the Yeager Health Complex

The utility plant supports the 18 buildings of the health complex, including patient treatment facilities, patient beds, outpatient offices, cafeterias, a gymnasium and County offices.

The aim of the audit is to identify all energy conservation and utility cost reduction replacement and upgrade opportunities.

The County was successful in securing Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funds allocated by the 2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). A portion of the ARRA funds was used to support the lighting upgrade in 2010. The County also leveraged funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to help fund the study.

Energy Efficiency Upgrade Study of Parking Lot Lights

Rockland County commissioned an energy audit of the parking lot lights at the Yeager Health Complex, New City Government Complex and at the Fire Training Center.

The County was successful in securing Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funds allocated by the 2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). A small portion of the ARRA funds was used to support the energy audit in late 2009. The County will also leverage funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to help fund the study.

The study will identify energy efficiency upgrades of the existing parking lot lights, estimate the cost to perform the upgrade, and estimate the energy savings for each upgrade. The result of this audit will be used to finalize Rockland County's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy (EECS), identifying what will be included in Rockland County's EECBG allocation to upgrade parking lot lights.

Fire Training Center Energy Audit

Rockland County commissioned an energy audit of the Fire Training Center (FTC).

The County was successful in securing Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funds allocated by the 2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). A small portion of the ARRA funds was used to support the energy audit in late 2009. The County will also leverage funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to help fund the study.

The FTC is a 44,000 sq-ft building for firematic training, the police academy, emergency medical services, emergency operations center and E-911 control center. It is also the central administrative office for all County firematic activities.

The audit will identify all energy efficiency replacement and upgrade opportunities at the FTC, estimate the cost to perform each replacement and upgrade, and estimate the energy savings for each replacement and upgrade opportunity. The result of this audit will be used to finalize Rockland County's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy (EECS), identifying what will be included in Rockland County's EECBG allocation to replace and upgrade equipment at the FTC.

The FTC consumed over $103,501 of electricity or approximately 862,508 kWh during the 12 month period from May 2008 through April 2009. Candidate efficiency measures for replacement/upgrade include lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), domestic water heating and conservation, and HVAC controls and system operations. Based on the age of the building, the age and technology of the existing equipment, a total annual savings of at least 86,250 kWh or 10% is possible.

Yeager Health Complex Energy Efficiency Lighting Upgrade

Rockland County is planning to commission a comprehensive energy efficiency project to replace interior lights and install occupancy sensors at five (5) buildings of the Yeager Health Complex. The five affected buildings are:

• Building D

• Building L

• Building G

• Building K

• Building H

The existing lights in the 5 buildings are T12 fluorescent and some incandescent fixtures. The existing fluorescent fixtures include 2x4 linear troffers, 2x2 U-lamp troffers, 1x4 linear troffers, 1x4 wrapped, 4-foot and 8-foot cove fixtures. The existing fixtures contain a mixture of F34T12 and F40T12 lamps powered by magnetic ballasts.

The project measures include high efficiency T8 lamps and ballasts will replace T12 lamps and magnetic ballasts. Compact Fluorescent fixtures will replace existing incandescent fixtures. LED exit signs will replace incandescent EXIT signs.

In addition, passive infrared and ultrasonic sensors will be incorporated in the high-occupancy spaces to control the space's lighting systems. The sensor will automatically turn lights ON as required by periods of occupancy and OFF when no lighting is needed.

The County was successful in securing Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funds allocated by the 2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). A portion of the ARRA funds will be used to support the lighting upgrade in 2010.

Estimated annual energy savings for this project is 174,375 kWh. Each year the project will eliminate 234 tons of CO2 equivalent emission.

New HVAC Control System at the Intergenerational Day Care Building

Rockland County is planning to install new control system for the buildings' heating, cooling and ventilation (HVAC) system at the Intergenerational Day Care Building located on the Yeager Health Complex.

The building's existing HVAC control system failed in 2009. Repeated attempts to fixed the failed controller were not successful. To restore air-conditioning and space heating to the building, the facility staff had to report to supplying constant chilled and heated water flow regardless whether the building's actual need. This approach wastes energy.

The County plans to install new HVAC controller and to re-commission the HVAC plant.

The County was successful in winning a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The grant was competitively awarded based on the efficacy of energy savings.

Enhancing Supervisory and Maintenance of HVAC System

Rockland County is planning to install a new operator control workstation at the County's Planning and Transportation Building located on the Yeager Health Complex.

The Planning and Transportation Building have had many occupant complaining about the building’s uneven heating and cooling conditions throughout the building. The building is also insufficiently heated in the winter and cooled during the summer. Presently, even a simple task such as changing heating and cooling set point is complicated and prone to errors.

The County plans to install a new operator control workstation. The workstation will offer a Graphical Operator User Interface to improve the ongoing maintenance of the building's control system by the facility maintenance staff.

The County was successful in winning a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The grant was competitively awarded based on the efficacy of energy savings.

Rockland to save $2.5 million on electricity costs in next two years

County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef announced today that Rockland, in partnership with the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), has joined the Municipal Electric and Gas Alliance (MEGA) to save over $2.5 million on electricity costs in the next two years.

MEGA is a county-based organization designed to help local governments control their energy costs. MEGA serves municipalities of all types as well as School Districts, BOCES, Water Districts, Sewer Districts and Fire Districts. MEGA is an aggregator that combines the power load of customers and goes to the open market to seek prices that are lower than individual customers could achieve by purchasing electricity on their own. While MEGA was formed in 1998 in upstate New York, it only recently began servicing the Hudson Valley and Orange and Rockland service area.

The County of Rockland, the Rockland County Sewer District #1, Rockland Community College and the Rockland County Solid Waste Management are part of the consortium that joined together for the savings, Vanderhoef said. “Every dollar we can save helps, especially in this economy, when utility costs are skyrocketing,” Vanderhoef said. “We’re pleased to become part of this savings consortium with NYSAC, and we’re proud of the efforts of our Purchasing Division to help save taxpayer dollars.”

County Purchasing Director Paul Brennan noted that three variables, including delivery cost, demand cost and electricity cost, affect the total cost of electricity. The County’s new contract with NYSEG Solutions/Energetix covers the actual cost of electricity, while Orange and Rockland will still bill delivery and demand costs. Actual costs will still be tracked on a monthly basis by the County’s Purchasing Division.

The County could save up to $966,678, the Sewer District up to $1,050,212, Rockland Community College up to $435,552 and the Solid Waste Management Authority up to $120,126 over the contract’s two-year term, Brennan said. “The new contract price is $.0276 less per kilowatt hour than the average price over the past twelve months. With a combined demand of over 47 million kilowatt hours annually, the savings can add up quickly,” Brennan said.

The MEGA program through NYSAC has provided increased savings to its members over the past year. One of the reasons for the additional savings is the growth of the alliance. In the past 18 months, 15 additional counties (now totaling 28 counties) have joined the 8 cities, 15 towns and villages and many school districts enrolled in MEGA.

"County Executive Vanderhoef's efforts to improve efficiencies and reduce the cost of county government demonstrate his innovative leadership," said Stephen J. Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties. "Taking advantage of the collective purchasing power to buy electricity and gas-one of the largest operational costs for governments, businesses and families-will help lower utility costs for Rockland County and save taxpayer dollars."

Brennan said the County’s Purchasing Division will schedule an informational meeting on MEGA for municipalities located in Rockland County.

Vanderhoef Honored by EPA for Excellent Environmental Record

April 29, 2009 - County of Rockland Press Release

Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef is the recipient of an Environmental Quality Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for his efforts in protecting the environment in Rockland.

Environmental protection has long been a hallmark of Vanderhoef’s administration, and he has been on the forefront of the County’s innovative efforts to protect and preserve the environment. The EPA honored Vanderhoef for establishing the County’s Open Space Preservation Program in 2000, which to date has preserved more than 1,100 acres of environmentally sensitive natural resources.

Vanderhoef was also honored for his work in sponsoring and signing into law three significant pieces of legislation that preserve air quality. The laws included an anti-idling law that prohibits vehicles from running for more than three minutes at a time; a law requiring that all eligible County diesel vehicles be equipped with an engine certified to the applicable US EPA standard for particulate matter or be equipped with special retrofits that reduce dangerous emissions, and that all vehicles in the County diesel fleet use ultra-low sulfur fuel in order to improve the quality of the air we breathe. It is also Vanderhoef’s goal, mandated by law, that the County fleet purchase only hybrid or alternate-fuel vehicles for its light- and medium-duty fleet by the year 2010.

Under Vanderhoef’s directive, the County this year secured a site on the Concklin Farm in Pomona for a permanent air quality monitoring station that will help the County’s environmental health officials determine levels of air pollution in Rockland.

Vanderhoef also signed onto the Mayor’s Agreement on Climate Change in 2008 and, in 2006, joined with EPA and his regional counterparts to form the NY Metropolitan Air Quality Initiative. Through that effort, the Counties in the NY Metropolitan region and New York City joined forces to take action and make commitments to effectively reduce emissions from engines and vehicles operating within their jurisdictions.

EPA selects Environmental Quality Award winners from non-profit environmental and community groups, individual citizens, educators, business organizations and members of the news media, as well as from federal, state, local or tribal governments and agencies. The honor is given to those individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to improving the environment and public health in EPA Region 2, which covers New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and seven federally-recognized Indian Nations. The Agency receives nominations for the awards from both inside and outside EPA. For information about the Environmental Quality Awards in EPA Region 2, go to http://www.epa.gov/region02/eqa/

Download the complete press release here

Road Resurfacing Focuses on Preserving Roads & Environment

May 22, 2009 - County of Rockland Press Release

At County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef’s direction, the County’s Highway Department has initiated and implemented a three-phase green road program for the past eight years. The program addresses the maintenance, repair and restoration of the County road system using environmentally friendly, “green” processes. All roads are evaluated and analyzed on an annual basis and the technique required for that road is established every spring, said County Highway Superintendent Charles Vezzetti.

The three techniques recycle the existing pavement and at the same time reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 90-percent per mile of roadway in comparison to conventional hot mix overlay, as well as reduce costs by 75-percent over standard resurfacing techniques. Not only are these techniques energy efficient, they reduce the County’s cost per mile by approximately 50-percent.

Vanderhoef was also honored for his work in sponsoring and signing into law three significant pieces of legislation that preserve air quality. The laws included an anti-idling law that prohibits vehicles from running for more than three minutes at a time; a law requiring that all eligible County diesel vehicles be equipped with an engine certified to the applicable US EPA standard for particulate matter or be equipped with special retrofits that reduce dangerous emissions, and that all vehicles in the County diesel fleet use ultra-low sulfur fuel in order to improve the quality of the air we breathe. It is also Vanderhoef’s goal, mandated by law, that the County fleet purchase only hybrid or alternate-fuel vehicles for its light- and medium-duty fleet by the year 2010.

The County continues to be a leader in addressing environmental concerns while providing safe roadways as environmental road resurfacing and construction processes evolve, Vezzetti said.

“With all aspects of road maintenance considered, both winter and summer operations, Rockland County’s roads are looking greener on a daily basis,” said Vezzetti. “When motorists drive in Rockland, they may see blacktop, but we see ‘green’ roads.”

The three-phase approach to the road maintenance program includes:

• standard 2” overlay, which is applied where required after milling in order to preserve curb reveal and re-establish the crown of the road. The millings derived from this process are reused and recycled by the Highway Department for shoulder repair and other highway improvements.

• “Hot-in-place” recycling, which is followed by either a quick set slurry or micro surfacing.

• Surface Treatment Program, which can be used with "hot-in-place" recycling when required. The surface treatment program commonly referred to as chip sealing is used primarily on those roads that have less traffic, and in particular, on those County roads that the local municipality has designated as historic. These roads require the use of historically correct resurfacing techniques whenever possible.

Over the past five years, the County Highway Department has recycled over 22-million pounds of asphalt annually, and estimates that between 90 - 100,000 tons have been recycled since the beginning of the program, saving taxpayers approximately a million dollars a year.

The Highway Department is currently reviewing the possibility of incorporating permeable pavements into the road reconstruction capital projects, combined with the County’s environmentally sensitive approach to winter maintenance by reducing the use of chemicals whenever possible without jeopardizing driver safety. During the winter months, the County has been testing green patch, a purportedly environmentally superior patching material.

Download the complete press release here

County Unveils New Hybrid Electric Transit Buses

October 30, 2009 - County of Rockland Press Release

Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef unveiled on October 30, 2009 the first low-floor, hybrid electric bus to enter the Transport of Rockland (TOR) fleet.

At a late morning event held outside the County Office Building in New City, Vanderhoef announced that the new bus is part of the County’s acquisition of 16 new hybrid-electric buses. The buses will replace older buses in the TOR fleet and all 16 buses will be in service by the end of this year. The buses were purchased with Federal Transit Administration (80%), NYS Department of Transportation (10%) and other transportation dollars allocated to Rockland County (10%) at an average cost of approximately $550,000 each. No County tax funds were used to pay for the vehicles.

“Transitioning the TOR fleet to hybrids is just the latest step Rockland County is taking to do its part in reducing emissions and improving our environment,” said Vanderhoef. “Coupled with our bus fleet retrofit project, which will install particulate filters on our existing diesel engines, and our use of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel, these are the cleanest and greenest buses on the road in Rockland County.”

“I am also pleased to announce that the County has just ordered four more hybrid buses for TOR, thanks to a $5,547,824 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant awarded to us by the Federal Transit Administration,” said Vanderhoef.

The ARRA grant, in combination with an FTA grant previously awarded to the County, will fund a total of nine hybrid buses. In addition to the four buses just ordered for TOR, three 45-foot hybrid commuter coaches will be purchased to replace buses retiring from the TAPPAN ZEExpress (TZx) fleet. Two additional hybrids for TOR will also soon be ordered. All nine buses are expected to arrive in late 2010. Ten percent of the ARRA grant will also be used to offset operating costs for the TOR system. The ARRA grant is 100% Federal funding and requires no local match.

The 16 new hybrids arriving this year will replace buses in the TOR fleet that have met or exceeded the end of their useful lives and include two 40-foot buses, eight 35-foot buses and six 30-foot buses.

Download the complete press release here