DCAS, NYC Public Schools, and NYPA Announce Milestone in Lighting Projects in School Buildings

NEW YORK CITY - New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Louis A. Molina, New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, and New York Power Authority (NYPA) President and CEO Justin Driscoll today announced a major milestone in the city's progress toward reducing carbon emissions in schools with the completion of 300 LED lighting upgrade projects in school buildings.

"Today's milestone demonstrates the progress we're making to create healthier, more sustainable schools and communities for our city," said DCAS Commissioner Louis A. Molina. "By completing 300 lighting upgrades across New York City public schools, we are cutting energy costs, reducing carbon emissions, and improving the learning environment for students. Through our collaboration with NYPA and NYC Public Schools, this success further reflects how DCAS is driving the city's climate goals forward while delivering tangible benefits for New Yorkers today."

"Our schools are the heart of NYC, and central to its climate action," said NYCPS Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. "These lighting upgrades are a powerful example of how we can create healthier, more sustainable learning environments. By reducing our carbon footprint and modernizing our buildings, we're proving that our schools can lead the way in building a greener future for our students."

"The completion of 300 LED lighting projects at New York City public schools is a significant milestone in the City and State's collective effort to promote energy efficiency and sustainability," said NYPA President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. "By modernizing school lighting systems, the Power Authority and DCAS are enhancing the learning environment for New York City students while simultaneously reducing building energy use and costs."

Under Mayor Adams' "Leading the Charge" initiative, the city committed to implement LED lighting upgrades in 800 public schools by the end of 2026 among several other schools-related commitments. The new energy efficiency improvements at schools will reduce annual operating and maintenance costs by approximately $10 million and its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 18,000 metric tons - the equivalent of removing nearly 3,900 cars from the road. It will also reduce annual energy use by nearly 148,000 MMBtu, equivalent to the annual energy use of over 10,000 NYC households.

About one third of a building's electricity consumption and costs derive from lighting, making it a high-value, efficient, and scalable program that DCAS, NYPA, and NYCPS have expanded across the city's school's portfolio, with many more projects in the pipeline. The Direct Install Lighting Program harnesses these advantages by retrofitting existing fixtures on a one-for-one basis with pre-configured kits, reducing costs and project timelines by up to 70%. In addition, the program upgrades lighting controls and installs vacancy sensors to automatically turns lights off when rooms are unoccupied, delivering even more energy and cost savings.

"The completion of 300 lighting upgrades in NYC schools gives us tangible benefits today, and strong momentum for the future," said Deputy Commissioner of Energy Management and the City's Chief Decarbonization Officer Sana Barakat. "I am very proud of our Energy Management team for the success of this program, and grateful for our strong partnership with NYPA and NYC Public Schools which will continue to deliver results for the city's climate goals."

"We are proud to bring climate action into our classrooms throughout the city, tying together operational efficiencies and learning opportunities for our students," said Meredith McDermott, Chief Sustainability and Decarbonization Officer at NYC Public Schools. "Climate action must include both our buildings and the people who occupy them every day, and we empower our students, teachers, and staff to learn about the positive impact of local solutions like solar and energy improvements in schools."

This project demonstrates how energy efficient lighting and solar installations at schools can work together to drive emissions reductions. Last year, DCAS, NYPA, and NYC Public Schools announcedthe completion of the largest collection of solar arrays in the city on public school buildings with 17 MW completed across 72 schools.

Through FY23, greenhouse gas emissions from government operations have been reduced by 26% against the FY06 baseline, along with an overall 14% reduction in energy consumption compared to a five-year average from FY06-FY10. To date, DCAS' work towards these goals has generated over 460,000 MTCO2e in annual GHG emissions reduction - the equivalent of removing approximately 100,000 cars from the road, which corresponds to 5.4 million in MMBtu reduction, equivalent to the annual energy use of over 380,000 NYC households and $150 million lower energy costs.

New York State has made energy efficiency a cornerstone of its energy policies. The Power Authority's efficiency program has implemented more than $4 billion in energy efficiency measures throughout New York at state, local and municipal government facilities. The energy efficiency measures include LED lighting installations heat pumps, new high efficiency boiler replacements, updated controls, heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades that will reduce natural gas consumption and related clean energy solutions.

About the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services

The NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) makes city government work for all New Yorkers. Our commitment to equity, effectiveness, and sustainability guides our work providing City agencies with the resources and support needed to succeed, including:

• Recruiting, hiring, and training City employees.
• Managing 55 public buildings.
• Acquiring, selling, and leasing City property.
• Purchasing over $1 billion in goods and services for City agencies.
• Overseeing the greenest municipal vehicle fleet in the country.
• Leading the City's efforts to reduce carbon emissions from government operations.

Learn more about DCAS by visiting nyc.gov/dcas and by following us on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and listening to the Inside Citywide podcast.

About New York City Public Schools

New York City Public Schools is a testament to the history and impact of urban education in the United States. With over 1,600 schools spread across five boroughs, the system is made up of approximately 1.1 million students and staff, making it the largest public school system in the nation. These schools employ more than 75,000 teachers who deliver a rich tapestry of educational experiences to a student body that reflects the city's vibrant and diverse cultural heritage. This network of educational institutions represents not just the scale of New York City's commitment to public education, but also its dedication to fostering a learning environment that is as dynamic and diverse as the city itself.

About New York Power Authority

NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 17 generating facilities and more than 1,550 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit https://www.nypa.gov and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and LinkedIn.

DCAS Contact:Anessa HodgsonAssistant Commissioner, Public [email protected]