Environment DEC
From the June 2007 issue
Plans to Make Governor's Mansion a "Green" Building Unveiled
First Lady Silda Wall Spitzer announces the "Greening the Mansion" initiative
New York State's First Lady Silda Wall Spitzer unveiled a plan recently to transform the Governor's Mansion into a "green" building. "Greening the Mansion" is an important new initiative that brings clean, efficient technologies to the Executive Mansion. Serving as a model for the state, the initiative will help address global climate change, lowering energy bills and fueling the innovation economy by supporting new industries born from the expanded use of clean power.
"Greening the Mansion"
"Greening the Mansion" is part of Governor Eliot Spitzer's clean energy plan to decrease the projected demand for electricity 15 percent by 2015 through increased energy efficiency and use of clean, renewable power. The Governor's "15 by 15" energy conservation goal is the most aggressive such target in the nation. Along with reducing demand, the plan also looks to increase the supply of available energy for a growing state in an environmentally sustainable way.
Homes are responsible for 21 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and 22 percent of energy use in the United States. Buildings in general are responsible for 39 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and 40 percent of energy use. "Residential buildings are a major contributor to global warming," said First Lady Silda Wall Spitzer. "The Executive Mansion is a place of historic significance, which should be properly preserved. Starting today, the mansion will also function as a sustainable building. I am hopeful that this initiative will encourage others to pursue similar efforts with their own homes. Together, every small step can reduce our overall impact on the environment."
Electricity Consumption/Greenhouse-gas Emissions to be Halved
"Greening" will cut the mansion's electrical consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by half. Highlights of the plan include:
- Clean, Renewable Energy. Solar panels will be installed in three locations on the mansion's grounds: the parking lot, a building canopy, and the roof of the pool-house. The solar panels in the parking lot will serve as carports, providing shade and eventually enabling electric vehicles to recharge. Solar panels will also be built as a canopy outside the State Police building. A fuel cell system will be used to power a back-up generator, replacing an existing diesel generator.
- Energy-Efficient Appliances and Equipment. Energy efficient appliances will replace several existing appliances. This process will begin today with the installation of an energy-efficient washer and dryer to replace old, inefficient models. Low-flow showerheads will also be installed to reduce the use of water, and many of existing light bulbs throughout the mansion will be replaced with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.
- Ecologically Sound Maintenance Practices. The mansion is phasing in the use of non-toxic cleaning products, organic pest control, mulching lawn mowers that recycle grass clippings in place, extensive recycling, and composting.
- Green Equipment. The mansion staff will begin using hybrid electric vehicles. Electric lawn mowers and lawn maintenance equipment will also be used to reduce gasoline emissions. Electric equipment can plug into the solar carport for power.
- Local and Organic Food Policy. The mansion has begun purchasing New York-grown, and preferably organic, produce to the greatest extent possible. The mansion will also purchase from a local food co-op, and join a local community supported agriculture (CSA), which allows consumers to buy a share in a farm and receive fresh local organic produce when it is harvested.
The mansion qualifies for the New York Power Authority's pre-existing state program for energy improvements at state facilities, and will apply for additional funding under a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) program available to all electricity consumers in the state. The project team does not expect to use any capital funds from the state budget for the project.
By decreasing its electrical energy consumption and pursuing additional "greening" methods, the mansion is attempting to meet green building standards established by the U.S. Green Building Council, referred to as LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. When the project is complete, the plan will be submitted to the U.S. Green Building Council for review and possible LEED certification.
"Greening the Mansion" is just one aspect of the First Lady's overall Green Buildings Initiative. Since the Governor took office, she has visited green building sites throughout New York, including green affordable housing in the Bronx, SUNY Syracuse's College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Seven World Trade Center and the Hearst Building in Manhattan. She plans to continue her work to promote green building initiatives for other state buildings and affordable housing.
Green Improvements a Good Investment
The First Lady convened a "Greening the Mansion" Working Group in February 2007. The group is composed of representatives from the New York Power Authority, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Office of General Services and Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, as well as an architectural firm from Albany. The group studied the condition of the Governor's Mansion to determine which green technologies made the most sense financially, environmentally and economically. Much of the green technology will not only cut energy costs and help the environment, but will ultimately pay for itself in energy savings.
Related Off-site Links
The Executive Mansion
Governor's Press Release on 15 by 15 Plan
LEED Information
