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Newsline: January 2008
Green Team to Cut Energy Costs And Emissions for NYCHA
President Floyd Participates in Launch of Historic Partnership
 Offering a major boost to the ailing finances of the New York City Housing Authority, former President Bill Clinton, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the first-ever partnership with NYCHA, to provide the nation’s largest public housing authority with access to energy-efficient technologies at reduced prices, which will result in cost savings and cleaner, healthier air for residents living in public housing.
“The partnership is a historic boon for NYCHA and for Local 237 Housing Division workers, who will benefit from improved air quality at their worksites,” said President Gregory Floyd at a press conference Dec. 7, launching the plan at the Eastchester Community Center in the Bronx, a NYCHA facility.
From left: Congressman Elliot L. Engle, President Floyd, Former President Clinton, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Secretary of U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Alphonso Jackson; Councilman Joel Rivera; NYCHA Chairman Tino Hernandez; and Chief Joanne Jaffe, NYPD Housing Bureau.
The new partnership combines the goals of PlaNYC, the mayor’s long-term sustainability agenda; the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), which brings NYCHA together
with banks to provide financing, energy service companies and suppliers to perform retrofit projects cost-efficiently; and HUD, which will work with NYCHA to modernize boiler and heating systems to reduce greenhouse emissions in 23,600-plus buildings citywide.
The William J. Clinton Foundation notes in a press release that buildings account for up to 80 percent of all greenhouse gases emitted in the city. NYCHA represents
“more than 8.4 percent of all New York City apartments… consequently, retrofitting holdings will have a tremendous impact on energy efficiency in New York City.”
Among the programs to receive technical assistance under the new partnership with CCI are:
The Computerized Heating Automated system (CHAS), a software application that allows for remote monitoring and hands-on management of NYCHA’s 210 central heating plants from any Internet-equipped personal computer.
Instantaneous Hot Water Heater Program, which replaces aging hot water tanks with energy-efficient instantaneous steam water heater devices that reduce heating fuel consumption, simplify maintenance and provide safer, more reliable hot water service.
Apartment and Common-Area Lighting Upgrades. The so-called “retrofitting” program has the goal of reducing overall electricity consumption by 15 percent by replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), which use less than one-fourth the electricity and last eight to 10 times longer.
These programs seek to reduce NYCHA energy consumption, confront financial challenges related to rapidly rising utility rates and reduce the city’s carbon emissions.
“We are working together to take an important step in promoting the environmental health of our city while continuing to preserve public housing,” said NYCHA
Chairman Tino Hernandez.
“Climate change is a global problem that requires local action,” Clinton was quoted as saying in a Greenbiz.com report. “The businesses, banks and cities partnering with my foundation are addressing the issue of global warming because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it’s good for their bottom line.”
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President Gregory Floyd joins former President Bill Clinton at the partnership launch.
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