Renew America Success Stories

Accelerated Energy Management Program

Description

The Accelerated Energy Management Program was developed by the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and its private-sector energy partner, the Facilities Resource Management Company (FRM) in 1990, in response to a directive from the governor that state agencies reduce their energy consumption by 20% by the year 2000. The program was launched through a series of successful pilot programs initiated at three psychiatric centers in August 1990, and the tested protocols were gradually transferred to all 33 OMH facilities by the end of the fiscal year.

The program takes a comprehensive approach to energy efficiency, linking education, budgeting, data collection and financial incentives.

One of the major elements of the project has been the implementation of a training program to help agency staff recognize the merits of energy conservation and the pitfalls of energy waste. In addition, each facility has been given access to the energy budget, as well as access to actual expenditures at the facility level. Finally, every year each facility is given an energy budget identifying energy-use targets.  On a monthly basis the facilities are advised of their progress toward achieving these mandated objectives.  To help in reaching their goals, each facility receives every two weeks a list of fuel prices, and they are free to switch from one form of fuel to another to keep their costs low.  At the end of the year, individual facilities receive public recognition and financial awards that are tied to their energy conservation performance.

A number of infrastructural changes have also been advanced at OMH, including the retrofitting of three coal-burning power plants to burn natural gas and fuel oil, and the introduction of co-generated steam to heat a psychiatric center.

The program has also invested significant time in data collection and analysis to help identify those approaches that are most effective.

The program has been able to meet its 10-year efficiency goal in less than four years through this highly collaborative program. Energy conservation actions have improved mechanical system's reliability, improved environmental quality and increased the confidence level and morale of operating staff -- all without compromising the clinical care programs at the psychiatric centers.

Program Highlights

Training

• A unique three-way effort involving OMH, the Office of General Services (OGS) and SUNY Maritime Academy has produced a training program for boiler operators that improves safety and energy efficiency, while fostering a better, more professional plant staff.
• Similar collaboration between the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), OGS Standards and Procurement, and Novus Engineering, another private sector partner, ensures that energy purchases are always made at the least possible cost. Elements of that program -- including distribution of a bi-weekly unit price list -- have saved an estimated $5.5 million.

• An agreement with a third party has led to closing the large power plant at St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center. Steam provided by a privately financed 79-megawatt co-generation plant is projected to save the State more than $25 million over the next 25 years.
• OMH's Environmental Revitalization Teams have focused on energy projects such as lighting retrofits and steam trap replacements. This in-house effort has retrofitted or replaced more than 40,000 lighting fixtures. Annual savings are projected to approach $300,000.
• Some 40,000 lighting ballasts filled with PCBs have been carefully recycled rather than added to the waste stream as they were replaced with more efficient electric models.

• Energy data have been collected through the development of an award-winning, state-wide Energy Conservation Reporting System managed by OGS and through the installation of a complex energy management control system and direct data logging equipment.

• The Agency rewards facilities' energy conservation achievements with funds derived from energy savings. These incentive awards, which have been spent on a variety of programs, from computers to mechanical repairs, have totaled more than $1 million over the past four years.
• The Division of Budget, the New York Power Authority and the regulated utility companies of New York State have cooperated to provide utility rebates for switching to more efficient equipment.  To date these rebates have exceeded $1 million.

Vital Statistics

Program Management/Partnerships: The Accelerated Energy Management Program was developed by the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) with the Facilities Resource Management Company in partnership with the Division of the Budget, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, the New York Power Authority, Novus Engineering, the EME Group, the Office of General Services (OGS), the State University of New York Maritime Academy and investor-owned utilities across the state.

Budget: Annual investments in minor rehabilitation projects have averaged $2.5 million.  Annual investments with private-sector partners have averaged $3.5 million.

Community Served: The resident and outpatient population of the New York State Office of Mental Health, and the residents of the state of New York.

Measures of Success:

Overall annual energy use has declined by more than 50% since the program's inception in 1990.

Cumulative energy savings exceed 16.3 trillion BTUs. This savings is equivalent to 2.9 million barrels of oil -- more than the oil used by all the cars in New York State in nine days.

Avoided costs exceed $65 million, and cumulative energy budget savings now approach $100 million.

More than 50 million kilowatt-hours of electricity have been saved.

More than 350 thousand tons of coal have not been burned.

More than 300 million cubic feet of natural gas have been spared.

More than 30 million gallons of oil have been preserved.

More than 2,500 tons of NO_x and more than 10 thousand tons of SO₂ have not been released into the atmosphere.