Rockland CC Launches Energy Retrofit

Rockland Community College (RCC) is undertaking an $11.1 million energy retrofit that is designed to save $558,000 each year and reduce greenhouse emissions by more than 1,000 metric tons.

Half of the investment for the upgrades is coming from the State University of New York (SUNY) and the rest through a tax-exempt municipal lease. The savings, incentives and project investment are being guaranteed by Ecosystem, the college's partner for the project.

The project will include 14 retrofit measures across nine campus buildings, including a new combined heat and power plant, air conditioning and stage lighting upgrades for the school's cultural arts theater, task lights and new electrical outlets in the library's media center, water stations around campus, chiller and boiler plant upgrades and improvements to air quality systems, among other updates.

Ecosystem will also provide a communications and energy efficiency awareness program in an effort to integrate the upgrades with curricula.

"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," said Cliff L. Wood, president of RCC, in a prepared statement. "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."

About the Author

Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].

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