Manhattan School Of Music Teams Up With Energy Giant To Save $140K

NEW YORK CITY — The Manhattan School of Music has teamed up with energy giant Con Edison for an "Energy Efficiency Duet" that is helping to reduce the school's carbon footprint — and boost its bottom line.

With the help of Con Edison's Commercial and Industrial Program and by following programs including Local Law 97 — which requires most buildings over 25,000 square feet to comply with efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions limits — the school has reduced its annual energy bill by more than $140,000, according to a news release from Con Edison last week.

The school has also managed to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by 496 metric tons, the equivalent of a year of electricity for 96 homes, Con Edison said.

"Our partnership with Con Edison has allowed us to make substantial progress toward our environmental goals while simultaneously improving the comfort and quality of life for everyone on our campus," Bryan Greaney, the school’s associate vice president of facilities and campus safety, said in the news release.

The energy efficiency improvements at the school include the installation of LED lighting throughout its student residence hall, occupancy sensors and controls throughout the building, and HVAC control upgrades to reduce heating and cooling costs, according to Con Edison.

"The upgrades that Con Edison supported at Manhattan School of Music are an investment in sustainability and will contribute to a smooth transition away from fossil fuels and toward the transition to clean energy," Greg Elcock, vice president of the Customer Clean Energy Programs at Con Edison, added in the news release.

According to its website, the Manhattan School of Music offers classical, jazz, and musical theater training to more than 960 undergraduate and graduate students from at least 45 countries and nearly all 50 states.

The school also holds more than 600 live concerts a year on campus and around New York City.