CONTACT: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey 212-435-7777
PORT AUTHORITY AUTHORIZED $7.5 MILLION FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAMS AT JOHN F. KENNEDY AIRPORT Investment reduces GHG emissions, creates jobs, and stimulates the regional economy
In advancing the agency’s commitment to clean and efficient energy, the Port Authority Board of Commissioners authorized $7.5 million for energy conservation improvements at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
Through the Port Authority’s Multi-Facility Guaranteed Energy Savings Program, the project will reduce operating expenses by approximately $700,000 per year and yield annual Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reductions of approximately 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). The Port Authority’s energy projects currently in construction or completed within the last year are expected to yield approximately 18,000 metric tons reduced GHG emissions.
“The Port Authority is focused on increasing energy efficiency and reducing emissions at our facilities,” said Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye. “These improvements are not only a cost-effective method for reducing air pollutants but also save $10.5 million over a 15-year guarantee period in energy and material costs, reduces maintenance costs by approximately $3 million, creates more than 60 jobs at our airport, and generates $10.6 million in economic activity over the life of the project.”
“The Port Authority leads the way in creating a vibrant regional economy, but we also take seriously our responsibility to be good environmental stewards,” said Deputy Executive Director Deb Gramiccioni. “This is just one example of how the Port Authority balances its priorities of achieving economic viability and operational efficiencies with natural resource conservation and social responsibility. Stimulating the economy need not jeopardize the environment.”
The JFK project, anticipated to begin in the fall of this year, includes extensive exterior lighting upgrades on roadways, pedestrian bridges, and in parking lots and bus shelters. The project also includes interior lighting improvements, steam system upgrades, and a boiler replacement with conversion from oil to natural gas.
Each improvement has a specific monitoring and verification plan that follows industry protocol for energy consumption reductions. The Office of Environmental and Energy Programs (OEEP) will develop a project baseline and track savings through metering, billing analysis, engineering calculations, and site interviews with staff. Annual utility, operating, and maintenance savings resulting from reduced energy consumption will offset the cost of the projects and yield ongoing savings for the Port Authority.
Recently, OEEP issued a Request for Information (RFI) for the replacement, rehabilitation, or redesign of JFK’s 110-megawatt cogeneration plant, an integrated energy system that generates both electric power and thermal energy at the airport. The agency is interested in exploring a cogeneration plant design that could utilize or incorporate renewable energy and has energy storage and micro grid applications.
Efforts similar to the JFK conservation initiative already are underway at the Port Authority Bus Terminal/Lincoln Tunnel, PATH facilities, Newark Liberty International Airport and Stewart International Airport. Today’s action is another step by the Port Authority to fulfill its longstanding commitment to promote conservation throughout its airport system.
The agency has already spent approximately $31 million on multiple energy savings projects through the Multi-Facility Guaranteed Energy Savings Program, creating a projected cost savings of $50 million over the useful life of the projects. Additionally, these projects are eliminating more than 15,000 metric tons of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions annually – comparable to 1.7 million gallons of gasoline saved annually. Additionally, the agency installed its first green roof atop the Holland Tunnel Administrative building to provide cooling and heating in different seasons.
Many of the agency’s airports have sustainable management plans featuring solar energy, waste-management recycling programs, “green-certified” cleaning products, and both interior and exterior LED lighting. Other initiatives focus on climate change adaptation and building resilience, tenant outreach, support on emissions reduction projects, support for airfield and aircraft efficiencies, and employee health and community outreach programs.
Moreover, the Port Authority is developing the infrastructure needed to support the public’s use of alternative-fuel vehicles through the installation of ten electric-vehicle charging stations at public parking lots at JFK International and LaGuardia airports. Additional charging stations at the Port Authority Bus Terminal are currently in design.
Visit www.panynj.gov to learn more about the Port Authority’s environmental and sustainability initiatives and programs.
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Founded in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. The agency’s network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than $23 billion in annual wages and $80 billion in annual economic activity. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center site, where construction crews are building the iconic One World Trade Center, which is now the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. The Port Authority receives no tax revenue from either the State of New York or New Jersey or from the City of New York. The agency raises the necessary funds for the improvement, construction or acquisition of its facilities primarily on its own credit. For more information, please visit http://www.panynj.gov.
