The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today received the Executive Order 88 (EO88) Award for Outstanding Commitment to Energy Efficiency. The award was presented by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) at its Customer Clean Energy Exchange Awards, which recognizes those NYPA customers who show leadership, commitment and innovation in advancing clean energy projects throughout New York State. The MTA’s 75-project EO88 portfolio with NYPA is the most of any state agency.

EO88 is the centerpiece of BuildSmartNY, a program introduced by Governor Cuomo to aggressively pursue energy efficiency in New York State government buildings while advancing economic growth, environmental protection, and energy security in New York State. EO88 mandates a 20 percent improvement (over 2010 levels) in the energy performance of State government buildings by April 2020.

“We are honored to receive this award and it confirms our commitment and dedication to being an energy efficient organization, said Patrick J. Foye MTA Chairman and CEO. “The MTA takes pride in leading the way on this issue and we will continue to work with NYPA to find additional opportunities to reduce energy consumption and minimize the carbon footprint throughout the entire MTA.”

“The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is setting the statewide bar with its steadfast commitment to reduce its energy consumption 20% by 2020,” said Gil C. Quiniones, New York Power Authority President and CEO. “Through Governor Cuomo’s BuildSmartNY clean energy initiative, the MTA will complete more than 75 energy efficiency projects with NYPA by the end of 2020. These projects are estimated to result in a 34% drop in energy consumption, making the MTA a true leader in energy efficiency across every New York State agency and arguably a trendsetter in clean energy projects on a national scale.” 

Overall the MTA and NYPA have completed over 175 energy efficiency projects with annual energy savings of 216,733,000 kilowatts of electricity, 1,720,000 therms of natural gas and 299,000 gallons of fuel oil. These projects have also resulted in over 116,900 metric tons of avoided carbon dioxide emissions per year.

As an example, in 2015, the MTA and NYPA completed a multiyear energy services implementation project at Grand Central Terminal, the largest such project in the history of the MTA. It was carried out to reduce energy use, provide cost savings, and improve air quality and climate control. The work included a vast upgrading of the building management system, resulting in reducing the annual carbon dioxide output by 12,120 tons, or the equivalent to removing 2,323 cars from the road.

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