Smithtown, NY — May 24th, 2013 — Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has teamed up with Smithtown  Library’s four branches to help them go green and save money by becoming more energy efficient.

Efficiency measures installed at the libraries in 2011-12 include lighting retrofits and controls, HVAC upgrades, variable speed drives and cool roofs. Through these upgrades it is estimated that the library is saving over 145,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) and $25,000 per year in energy costs. In addition LIPA, through its Efficiency Commercial Program has awarded the libraries with rebates totaling over $42,000 and provided $142,000 in technical assistance services.

“I commend the Smithtown Library for their investment in energy efficiency. LIPA remains committed to working with our municipalities, business groups, and community leaders to communicate the vital message of energy efficiency and renewables,” said LIPA Vice President of Environmental Affairs Michael J. Deering.

“The Smithtown Library is fortunate to have been able to take advantage of LIPA’s Commercial Efficiency Program,” said Library Director Robert Lusak.  “The building expansion and renovation projects to our four LEED-certified library buildings included the total replacement of outdated lighting and heating/air conditioning systems.  The potential for reducing energy costs by making upgrades to these systems, as well as the return on investment from the rebates, will have the advantage of benefiting the Smithtown community.  We thank LIPA for making this program available to us.”

The energy efficiency measures taken by Smithtown Library under this initiative will have the equivalent effect of reducing 14 cars from the road for one year or 8,541 gallons of gas not consumed for a year.

Efficiency Long Island is a 10-year, $924 million energy efficiency program launched this year, which offers a wide array of incentives, rebates and initiatives to LIPA’s residential and commercial customers to assist them in reducing their energy usage and thereby lowering their bills.

LIPA’s Efficiency Long Island has lowered emissions of harmful pollutants that contribute to climate change. It is estimated that implementation of Efficiency Long Island will reduce CO2 emissions by about 12 million metric tons compared to the EC2 that would be produced from new power plants burning natural gas. This is equivalent to removing 2.5 million cars from Long Island roads.

LIPA’s Commercial Construction Program is part of Efficiency Long Island, to learn more visit the Web site at www.lipower.org/efficiency/commercial.html.

LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric provider, owns the retail electric Transmission and Distribution System on Long Island and provides electric service to more than 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. LIPA is the 2nd largest municipal electric utility in the nation in terms of electric revenues, 3rd largest in terms of customers served and the 7th largest in terms of electricity delivered. In 2011, LIPA outperformed all other overhead electric utilities in New York State for frequency and duration of service interruptions. LIPA does not provide natural gas service or own any on-island generating assets. More information about LIPA can be found online at LIPower.org.