News Release - City to Kick Off Sustainable Homes Rochester Campaign

City of Rochester

News Release

(Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren will kick off the “Sustainable Homes Rochester” campaign on Jan. 14 to encourage residents to install clean heating and cooling technologies and improve home energy efficiency. 

The City was one of only eight recipients to receive a $150,000 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), in partnership with PathStone and the Rochester People’s Climate Coalition. The grant aims to increase awareness and encourage the installation of clean heating and cooling systems through Sustainable Homes Rochester (SHR). 

SHR will enable city residents to access competitive pricing for home heat pump systems, which provide a clean, comfortable and affordable option for heating and cooling homes. 

“Rochester is striving to be cleaner and greener, and I am grateful to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and NYSERDA for helping residents install these energy efficient systems so they can save money on their energy bills,” said Mayor Warren. “Combined with our ongoing climate-related initiatives, this grant helps us to reduce our carbon footprint and become a more sustainable city, bolstering our efforts to create more jobs, safer/more vibrant neighborhoods and better educational opportunities for our residents.”

NYSERDA’s Clean Heating and Cooling Community Campaign is part of Gov. Cuomo’s goal to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030.

Alicia Barton, president and CEO of NYSERDA, said, “The City of Rochester’s sustainability efforts are helping New York State advance Gov. Cuomo’s fight against climate change by lowering harmful emissions. I applaud Mayor Warren for her dedication to providing cleaner and more energy efficient initiatives that will help residents lower energy costs and increase comfort within their homes.

Residents can learn more through a series of informational events starting Monday, where they can meet with staff and contractors to learn about heat pump systems, enroll in the campaign, get a free home-energy consultation and find out about incentives and energy efficiency improvements that fit their needs.

    • Jan. 14, 6-7 p.m., SHR Kick-off, City Hall Atrium, 30 Church St.
    • Jan. 23, 6:30-8 p.m., Downtown Central Library, Gleason Auditorium (co-hosted with The Sierra Club), 115 South Ave.
    • Feb. 3, 1:30-3 p.m., Asbury Methodist (co-hosted with The Pachamama Alliance), 1050 East Ave.
    • Feb. 11, 6:30-8 p.m., Metro Justice Community Space,  Hungerford Building, Door #7, Second floor, 1115 E. Main St.
    • Feb. 28, 2019, 7-9 p.m., First Unitarian Church, 220 Winton Road South.

SHR will play a key role in the City’s Climate Action Plan effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 2010 levels by 2030 (www.cityofrochester.gov/climateactionplan/). 

Other City climate-related initiatives include:
    • Installation of public electric vehicle charging stations;
    • Use of LED lighting in City facilities and street lights;
    • Construction of a two-megawatt solar field on 1655 Lexington Ave.;
    • Launch of mixed household recycling
    • Installation of a green roof and permeable parking lot at City Hall; and
    • Expansion of the City’s electric vehicle fleet.

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News Media: For more information, contact Press Officer Jessica Alaimo at (585) 428-7135.