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Common Council Advances School District Energy Assessments
The Ithaca Common Council advanced a resolution to establish a capital project to conduct energy assessments for the Ithaca City School District as part of its ongoing efforts to achieve the city’s Green New Deal goals.
The project, which will be partially funded by federal grants, aims to significantly reduce energy consumption in school buildings and provide workforce development opportunities for underserved communities.
The project's total cost is estimated at $2.6 million, with $1.23 million allocated to the school district for energy assessments and other educational initiatives around energy efficiency. The project will also involve collaboration with several local organizations to implement energy-saving measures and develop educational programs for students.
Additionally, the project includes funding for the Energy Warriors Program, a workforce development initiative designed to provide green technology training to individuals from underserved communities. Participants in the program receive training in energy auditing, solar and heat pump installations, and hands-on experience working on low-income homes in the area.
Sustainability Director Rebecca Evans emphasized the multifaceted nature of the project. “This is a multi-pronged project,” she said. “We’re not only working to assess and reduce energy consumption in school buildings but also investing in workforce development for underserved communities through the Energy Warriors Program.”
The Energy Warriors Program, housed within Cornell Cooperative Extension, aims to provide participants with a living wage while they complete a rigorous training program that includes multiple levels of certification.
The program's graduates will be equipped to enter the competitive job market as energy auditors and installers of green technologies like solar panels and heat pumps.
“There are multiple moving parts to reach all of those various goals,” Evans added. “We’re providing people with marketable skills while also helping low-income residents reduce their energy bills by offering free home energy assessments and services.”
- Matt Dougherty, Ithaca Times, 9/18/24
The Ithaca Common Council advanced a resolution to establish a capital project to conduct energy assessments for the Ithaca City School District as part of its ongoing efforts to achieve the city’s Green New Deal goals.
The project, which will be partially funded by federal grants, aims to significantly reduce energy consumption in school buildings and provide workforce development opportunities for underserved communities.
The project's total cost is estimated at $2.6 million, with $1.23 million allocated to the school district for energy assessments and other educational initiatives around energy efficiency. The project will also involve collaboration with several local organizations to implement energy-saving measures and develop educational programs for students.
Additionally, the project includes funding for the Energy Warriors Program, a workforce development initiative designed to provide green technology training to individuals from underserved communities. Participants in the program receive training in energy auditing, solar and heat pump installations, and hands-on experience working on low-income homes in the area.
Sustainability Director Rebecca Evans emphasized the multifaceted nature of the project. “This is a multi-pronged project,” she said. “We’re not only working to assess and reduce energy consumption in school buildings but also investing in workforce development for underserved communities through the Energy Warriors Program.”
The Energy Warriors Program, housed within Cornell Cooperative Extension, aims to provide participants with a living wage while they complete a rigorous training program that includes multiple levels of certification.
The program's graduates will be equipped to enter the competitive job market as energy auditors and installers of green technologies like solar panels and heat pumps.
“There are multiple moving parts to reach all of those various goals,” Evans added. “We’re providing people with marketable skills while also helping low-income residents reduce their energy bills by offering free home energy assessments and services.”
- Matt Dougherty, Ithaca Times, 9/18/24
News and Events
The Dryden Miracle: Climate Change, The Energy Transition, and Local Municipalities
Dan Lamb, Deputy Supervisor for the Town of Dryden, will be presenting on "The Dryden Miracle" at the November 12th meeting of the Finger Lakes Chapter of the Climate Reality Project.
Dryden was the first town in New York State to ban fracking. It has also been successful in building community solar, multi-town rail trails and municipal broadband. It is a Bronze level Climate Smart Community.
In its permitting process, the town has managed to discourage any new commercial gas hookups over the past 8 years. Most recently Dryden passed a moratorium on cryptomining and data centers.
Dan will provide an overview of how the Town of Dryden has implemented these changes, thus providing a model for other local municipalities.
When: Tuesday, November 12, 2024, 7 pm to 8:30 pm
Where: On Zoom--Meeting ID: 831 3844 268
In addition to his Deputy Supervisor position, Dan is a senior lecturer at Cornell’s Brooks School of Public Policy and a member of the steering committee for Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative (TCCPI).
Next TCCPI Meeting
Friday, December 13, 2024
9:00 - 11:00 am
The monthly TCCPI meetings have moved online. For Zoom info, contact Peter Bardaglio, the TCCPI coordinator, for further details at pbardaglio@gmail.com.
If you have any issues you would like to bring to the TCCPI monthly meetings, please e-mail us at info@tccpi.org. General meetings are on the last Friday of every month, except for November and December. Because of the holidays, the November-December meeting is held on the second Friday of December.
The Ithaca 2030 District
Visit TCCPI's latest project, the Ithaca 2030 District, an interdisciplinary public-private collaboration working to create a groundbreaking high-performance building district in Downtown Ithaca.
Dan Lamb, Deputy Supervisor for the Town of Dryden, will be presenting on "The Dryden Miracle" at the November 12th meeting of the Finger Lakes Chapter of the Climate Reality Project.
Dryden was the first town in New York State to ban fracking. It has also been successful in building community solar, multi-town rail trails and municipal broadband. It is a Bronze level Climate Smart Community.
In its permitting process, the town has managed to discourage any new commercial gas hookups over the past 8 years. Most recently Dryden passed a moratorium on cryptomining and data centers.
Dan will provide an overview of how the Town of Dryden has implemented these changes, thus providing a model for other local municipalities.
When: Tuesday, November 12, 2024, 7 pm to 8:30 pm
Where: On Zoom--Meeting ID: 831 3844 268
In addition to his Deputy Supervisor position, Dan is a senior lecturer at Cornell’s Brooks School of Public Policy and a member of the steering committee for Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative (TCCPI).
Next TCCPI Meeting
Friday, December 13, 2024
9:00 - 11:00 am
The monthly TCCPI meetings have moved online. For Zoom info, contact Peter Bardaglio, the TCCPI coordinator, for further details at pbardaglio@gmail.com.
If you have any issues you would like to bring to the TCCPI monthly meetings, please e-mail us at info@tccpi.org. General meetings are on the last Friday of every month, except for November and December. Because of the holidays, the November-December meeting is held on the second Friday of December.
The Ithaca 2030 District
Visit TCCPI's latest project, the Ithaca 2030 District, an interdisciplinary public-private collaboration working to create a groundbreaking high-performance building district in Downtown Ithaca.
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