NYSERDA Energy $mart Communities Program

The Energy $mart Communities (E$C) Program offers local, convenient, community-based access to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's (NYSERDA's) energy-efficiency and research and development programs. NYSERDA works with 25 Community Coordinators in 10 regions strategically located throughout New York State to help extend NYSERDA's program outreach to residential, commercial, institutional, municipal and industrial customers. Click here for a program overview.

Market Sectors

The Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI) has been an independent contractor to the New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) as their Finger Lakes Energy $mart Communities (FLE$C) Program Coordinators since 2007. During that time CEI has worked extensively to establish itself as the primary contact in the Finger Lakes Region for NYSERDA's energy efficiency programs for all market sectors.

CEI has divided the market sectors into: residential and non-residential categories.

Residential: NYSERDA's residential programs help homeowners and renters reduce their energy costs through incentives and low-interest loans. (Link to NYSERDA website for residential programs.) Haley Rotter is our Residential Coordinator. Haley holds a BA in Public Relations from SUNY New Paltz. She studied sustainability and renewable energy technology at the Solar Living Institute in Hopland, CA as an intern.

Haley would be glad to help you better understand the various NYSERDA programs available to home owners. You can contact her at: Contact Me.

Non-Residential: NYSERDA's non-residential programs help commercial, institutional and industrial entities reduce their energy costs through a variety incentives and services. Lee Loomis is our Business Coordinator. Lee holds a BSME from Clarkson University and an MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has over 30 years experience in energy technology and end-use energy efficiency which he attained at RG&E.

Lee would be glad to help you better understand the various NYSERDA programs available to commercial, industrial and institutional entities. You can contact him at: Contact Me.

Background

The goal of the FLE$C program has been to help spread the word about the benefits of energy efficiency, and connect people to funding opportunities that result in more efficient and sustainable communities. We have done this by:

1. Establishing beneficial partnerships throughout the region that result in regular communication, program referrals, and outreach opportunities;
2. Maintaining marketing and outreach materials with current and continuous information on NYSERDA's energy-efficiency, renewable and R&D programs; and
3. Represent NYSERDA at FLE$C, partner, and NYSERDA-sponsored events.

FLE$C has established mutually beneficial partnerships with each of the Economic Development Agencies in the Finger Lakes Region, in order to provide developers and business owners with a solid connection to the appropriate NYSERDA R&D funding opportunities/PONs. This is done to assist efforts to grow and attract renewable, clean energy companies in NY and promote Clean Energy Business Development. We have done this by:

1. Contacting the EDAs and IDAs in each county and scheduling meetings with their Executive Directors and staff to discuss the E$C program and potential collaboration efforts, hereby developing ED partnerships;
2. Contacting and developing partnerships with local academic institutions that promote clean energy/technology/entrepreneurial program;
3. Developing partnerships with Business Incubators in order to establish relationships that bring value to both FLE$C and NYSERDA;
4. Attending and exhibiting at regional economic development events; and
5. Maintaining a communication with economic development partners.

FLE$C has worked to integrate NYSERDA support into the planning and development of the region's business community. We do this by:

1. Establishing partnerships with Region's Chambers of Commerce, trade associations, workforce development agencies, educational institutions, municipal planning departments/groups and regional engineering and architecture firms;

2. Hosting, designing and attending partner events that target the local/regional business community;

3. Maintaining regular communication with partners via meetings/phone calls/emails/events; and

4. Connecting workforce development opportunities with the local employment needs.

The Vision

Looking forward CEI has established this VISION for the FLE$C program:

• FLE$C will establish itself as the primary contact in the Finger Lakes Region for NYSERDA's energy efficiency programs for all market sectors;

• FLE$C will facilitate deeper penetration of NYSERDA Programs in the Finger Lakes Region;

• The FLE$C Team will be known for its connections to the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council (FL-REDC), as well as local agencies, thereby providing developers and their projects with a solid connection to available NYSERDA funding opportunities, and for R&D and renewable energy projects; and

• FLE$C will help integrate NYSERDA support into the planning and development of the Region's business community, through its work with the FL-REDC and its partnerships with educational institutions, local workforce development agencies, engineering/architecture firms and commerce and industry.

The Plan

Our PLAN to attain this vision includes:

• Expanding our contact with residential, municipal, commercial and industrial customers;

• Increasing the levels of residential and non-residential energy audits, especially in the rural communities;

• Improving the rate of "conversion" of energy audits into projects, in all markets;

• Increasing our regular contact and interaction with clean energy business entrepreneurs and economic development agencies; and

• To have a more "qualitative vs. quantitative" approach to our marketing efforts.