The Henry Viscardi Center in Albertson has long been acknowledged as one of the nation’s premier institutions for educating students with disabilities, giving them an opportunity to live productive and fulfilling lives.
Saving some money in operating costs never hurts and now a partnership between The Viscardi Center and PSEG Long Island will help the center save money by “going green” and becoming more energy efficient.
According to PSEG officials, The Center recently upgraded more than 1,800 inefficient fluorescent lighting fixtures to high-efficiency LED fixtures.
These improvements, PSEG officials say, are estimated to reduce the center’s electric demand by more than 100 kilowatts (kW) and reduce their electric consumption by 200,000-kilowatt hours (kWh) per year. The reductions, they claim, equate to The Viscardi Center saving approximately $35,000 a year in electricity costs.
“By participating in PSEG Long Island’s Commercial Efficiency program, The Viscardi Center will experience a cleaner, greener environment,” said Michael Voltz, PSEG Long Island director of energy efficiency and renewables. “By saving on energy costs, the center can apply the savings to maintain and improve the quality of services provided.”
In all, The Viscardi Center received a rebate of $155,550 for participating in the PSEG Long Island Commercial Efficiency Program. With the efficiency savings and the rebate, the center is expected to recoup the remaining project costs in less than six years.
“As a nonprofit, we are always looking for ways to reduce our overhead expenses,” said John D. Kemp, president and CEO of The Viscardi Center. “This rebate program not only offered a way for the Center to reduce its electrical expenditures, but allowed us to take a look at how as an organization we could decrease our own energy use and play an active role in promoting green initiatives.”
The energy efficiency measures taken by the center under the Commercial Efficiency Program will have the equivalent effect of reducing 29 cars on the road or 15,518 gallons of gas not consumed per year.
