The CAST BUILDING - NYSERDA Initiative

What is NYSERDA?

The demand on state and national power distribution increases with each new construction project. To minimize this, NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research Development Authority) administrates New York’s “Energy Smart” program. This program assists eligible building owners in improving the energy efficiency of new or renovated buildings. RIT aims to take full advantage of the program and the new CAST building is a good example of this cooperation.

Working from NYSERDA recommendations, building planners and design engineers have incorporated several energy efficiency measures while constructing the CAST building. These measures include:

Improved wall and roof insulation
White roof
Window glazing improvements
Solar shading (to cut down on heat in summer months)
High Efficiency Lighting
Light controls to utilize ambient light
Occupancy sensors
Efficient air distribution systems
Variable Speed Drives (VSD)
CO2 demand ventilation to assure proper air exchange
State-of-the- building automation system (BAS)

As a result of these measures, NYSERDA secured $110,235 in special funding for the CAST building to reward RIT for its dedication to energy efficiency.

Energy Savings

NYSERDA estimates that as a result of these energy measures, the CAST building will save 282,766 kWh of electrical energy annually, in addition to 71.3 kW in summer peak demand savings. In addition to these energy savings, emissions of the building have been reduced by approximately 40%.

Emissions	Baseline	Enhanced Building	Difference	Percentage Reduction
CO2 (tons)	356.4	209.9	146.5	41.1%
VOCs (lbs)	9.6	5.7	3.9	41.7%
NOX (lbs)	963.2	567.3	395.9	41.1%
CO (lbs)	68.8	40.5	28.3	41.1%
SO2 (tons)	1.3	0.7	0.6	38.5%
PM10 (lbs)	21.8	12.8	9.0	41.3%

NYSERDA not only assisted in implementation of the energy efficiency measures, but also has a vital interest in assuring that all energy consuming equipment operates at its top design efficiency. Such efficiency is verified through a rigorous process of commissioning in which each piece of equipment is tested to verify its performance.