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Welcome to our Sustainable Westchester 2021 Spring Newsletter.
 
WHAT'S NEW AT SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER?
Welcome New Executive Director
Nina Orville!

In case you had not heard, in late February, Nina Orville was appointed as the organization’s new Executive Director. Nina brings decades of experience in sustainable solutions and policy. Her fiscal and management experience makes her uniquely qualified to lead the organization.

Ms. Orville said, “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead Sustainable Westchester and to help the county achieve the promise of a clean energy future. I am particularly motivated to ensure the organization has a sharp focus on addressing environmental inequities across our diverse county. My commitment as Executive Director is to partner with all of you, more effectively than ever before, so that together we can all shine brighter and we can be a beacon in New York State and beyond."

Nina Orville’s full remarks from our Annual Member Meeting may be viewed here.
 
Leo Wiegman Appointed Director of Solar Programs

We are pleased to announce Leo Wiegman's appointment as the organization’s new Director of Solar Programs, effective April 1, 2021. Leo brings decades of experience in solar program solutions. Prior to joining Sustainable Westchester, Leo co-owned the solar energy firm Croton Energy Group for ten years. He was a key member of the team at Sustainable Westchester when the fledgling organization launched Westchester Power as its first program offering for its member municipalities. Leo also served as a consultant to the EnergizeNY and Solarize programs and the Mid-Hudson Regional Sustainability Consortium. Currently he also serves as president of the Board of Directors of CURE100.org.

Mr. Wiegman said, “The first time I worked at Sustainable Westchester, the organization had just been formed in late 2015.  We had an annual budget of $40,000 and two part-time employees. We spent the next year preparing to launch the Westchester Power Program. Now, six years later, the depth and breadth of the programs offered to its countywide municipal members are truly impressive. I am delighted to be joining such excellent staff, many of whom I know well, to continue to develop innovative programs to benefit all Westchester residents and businesses.”

 
Paul Presendieu Joins as Outreach Coordinator

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Presendieu as the organization’s new Outreach Coordinator. Paul brings environmental science knowledge, enthusiasm, and ample civic engagement with all levels of government and community-based organizations to his role at Sustainable Westchester. Prior to joining Sustainable Westchester, Paul assisted programming and youth engagement for the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County, Inc. He received the 2020 Edith G. Read Award for his work there and in 2018 was named to 914 Inc’s Wunderkinds.

Mr. Presendieu said, “I am proud to join Sustainable Westchester's distinguished team of proven professionals dedicated to the environmental sustainability of Westchester County. My years of environmental activism throughout Westchester have led me to consider Sustainable Westchester as the premier organization for community engagement through the lens of environmental economics. Being able to engage residents of all socioeconomic backgrounds shows the potential found within Westchester County's transition toward a clean future in renewable energy and the preservation of our natural resources.”
 
Celebrate Earth Month with Two Energy Actions:
GRIDREWARDS™ and Community Solar

GridRewards Signup: Lower your carbon footprint, save money & EARN CASH.

Con Edison just finished installing new smart meters in Westchester County, enabling everyone with a Con Edison account to participate in improving the grid and taking collective action to impact a clean energy future.

Logical Buildings, an energy aggregator and software developer, has created the GridRewards™ app that tracks usage in close to real-time. You get paid to help the environment by lowering your personal usage of energy. The aggregated participant reduction in electricity demand, especially during the summer when the grid is stressed, contributes to reducing the need for dirty power generation (peakers), thus lowering the overall carbon footprint.

Learn more and find all you need to sign up here. (Sign up by April 30th).
Community Solar Signup: Save up to 10% off your electricity bills!

Solar made simple! No home panel installation, no fees or penalties for cancelling.

Community Solar allows people to subscribe to solar installations located offsite, in places that are optimal for solar energy production. This new approach to solar has catalyzed solar development across Westchester County.

This offers residents savings of up to 10% on their electricity bill! Community Solar allows almost all utility customers, homeowners, renters, religious institutions, some businesses and nonprofits, to easily benefit from solar. With no cost to join or cancel, Sustainable Westchester's Community Solar makes going green easy and accessible. Learn more and sign up today .
 
 
"Conversations in Clean Energy" Podcast Episode #2 Mythbusting Clean Heating and Cooling: The Efficacy of Retrofits, Part 1

The transition to a clean energy future is dependent on collective action. For clean heating & cooling technology that action includes retrofitting existing building stock. In Episode #2 of “Conversations in Clean Energy” hear from two case studies; one a multifamily, the second a commercial building on the efficacy of VRF and air source heat pump retrofits. Download & listen today
 
Creating a Zero Waste Lifestyle webinar!

Creating a Zero Waste lifestyle does not have to be done perfectly, nor does it mean doing everything all at once. Do one thing at a time, and make it a habit, then add the next big Zero Waste idea! Take a look at the third in our webinar series: 

HOT TRENDS, COOL PLANET! Zero Waste Lifestyle Webinar On Sustainable Fashion


 
EVENTS 

We were so pleased to have kicked off Earth Month in partnership with the County and the FCWC at the Westchester Municipal Sustainability Conference! Thank you to all who attended and participated.

On April 13th, we hosted the 2021 Green Hydrogen Roundtable; you can view it here.

We have been out and about in the communities all month and want to give thanks to all of our member municipalities, their amazing CAC/sustainability/environmental committees and the dedicated volunteers who make it all work! We were so pleased to be invited into resident's homes (through Zoom, of course) and to Farmer's Markets and Earth Month events these past weeks, too.

We were pleased to present our Community Energy Information Sessions around the County and to have spent Earth Day with so many of our member municipalities.

We are proud to close out Earth Month by joining Mount Vernon for their Arbor Day celebration on April 30th. We hope to see you at Hartley Park at 2:30pm.
 
PROGRAMS

To learn more about our programs you can visit
https://sustainablewestchester.org/programs/, here are some highlights:
Westchester Power Celebrates its 5th Anniversary in May!
 

Westchester Power represents the best interests of residents and small businesses by providing choice for competitive, fixed price, 100% renewable energy. Sustainable Westchester administers this program for 28 participating municipalities. With this high-impact action item, we can help our members meet their clean energy goals and offer residents energy choice and access to renewable energy without navigating the often confusing world of ESCOs. Visit the website to learn more about Westchester Power.

We are pleased to announce that Tuckahoe joined Westchester Power in 2021, and Greenburgh made a commitment to green power supply. Yonkers has also chosen to bring clean energy to the city and is getting set to join Westchester Power in 2021. Yonkers residents can learn more here: https://sustainablewestchester.org/wp/yonkers/.
 
Community Solar POWERING a cleaner, healthier,
resilient Westchester

Sustainable Westchester has initiated Community Solar campaigns with nearly twenty municipalities to promote Community Solar, its savings, and environmental benefits.  Our partnership extends also to several County nonprofit environmental organizations that are helping to educate residents and encourage solar adoption.

We are gearing up to launch Opt-Out Community Solar, which provides low-income households with monthly savings as a result of participating in Community Solar. The program will help us promote and accelerate solar development and equity at scale by quickly reaching many homes in need. We are very motivated to advance community member participation in benefiting from the transition to clean energy.

We have several notable municipal and solar host partnerships. In the Town of Mamaroneck, a Community Solar project is breaking ground on the municipal-owned Hommocks Park Ice Rink. The solar energy from this project will be available only to LMI individuals to start, including those living in subsidized housing, assistance program participants, and renters. Yonkers is launching a Community Solar initiative with Sustainable Westchester on Robert Martin Company buildings. The project will be promoted in the community via Groundwork Hudson Valley's student Green Team and the Yonkers Housing Authority (MHACY). In Dobb’s Ferry, Mom’s Organic Grocer has committed to a solar project for its Westchester site, a portion of which will be made available to community residents.
 
Virtual Power Plant - Better Battery & Storage of Solar

We are piloting a next-generation battery solution as a backup for power disruptions either for a significant weather events or a series of very cloudy days. Don’t lose your solar energy, store it!  Rethink the old, expensive, and noisy method of a gas generator for backup power, too.

Benefits include clean, healthy, and reliable backup power for resiliency and energy security during grid outages, along with protection from future changes in solar net metering.

Westchester County homeowners and Con Edison utility customers, can learn more at https://sustainablewestchester.org/virtual-power-plant/
 
Driving EV adoption: Exclusive Car Discounts & Municipal Charging Station Opportunities
 

We are set to bring our municipalities charging station infrastructure through our strategic partnerships. This charging station, NYSERDA and PSC program, called Make Ready New York significantly reduces the total cost of installing publicly-accessible charging stations. With incentives and additional support, our goal is to make EV charging infrastructure reliable and accessible throughout the region, encouraging consumer EV adoption.

For ideas to get started, read the Sustainable Westchester Charging Station Guide with our partner, Blink Charging 

For residents we have exclusive EV discounts on new and pre-owned vehicles
Click here to learn more and to receive SW Discount Certification
 
Energy Savings & Climate Action From the Comfort of Home
 

EnergySmart HOMES helps residents learn about clean heating and cooling as well as energy efficiency, vetted installer partners, and simplified financing. We are bringing this community campaign right to your home via Zoom information sessions. Learn more here .

Each information session provides an explanation of customized clean heating and cooling solutions for your home, how energy efficiency can save you money and energy, plus financial incentives and rebates offered by NYSERDA and your utility. We feature the contractors who do the heat pump and geothermal installations and allot time for neighborly discussions. Breakout rooms feature discussions on a variety of topics. Click here to "virtually" join a previous session.

Thank you to Pelham and Ossining/Briarcliff and all of their dedicated volunteers for championing this effort in their communities. If you are interested in having your community be involved, creating a mini-campaign, or applying as a municipality for the next set of designated EnergySmart HOMES contact lauren@sustainablewestchester.org.
 
Commercial Clean Heating & Cooling
 

Sustainable Westchester’s Commercial Clean Heating and Cooling is a first-of-its-kind program in New York. In partnership with municipal, business, and industry leaders, along with support by NYSERDA, Sustainable Westchester is navigating the changing energy landscape and providing guidance on funding opportunities to better connect our members to decision makers and solution providers.

In 2021, Sustainable Westchester is leading the way with high-impact action items to include the adoption of NYStretch Code, PACE Financing enablement, and other notable initiatives to come include: the new NYSERDA Community Heat Pump Systems funding opportunity, Greening Westchester’s twelve Opportunity Zones, and developing the green workforce.

Are clean heating & cooling solutions right for your municipalities and businesses? Are you interested in finding out how to save energy for your commercial property? Need a new gas connection or simply wondering what you can do to help address climate change? Schedule a consultation today
 
Have you checked out our Community Calendar yet?

Bookmark this page! Make Sustainable Westchester’s Community Calendar your go-to resource for sustainability events around the County. And, you can enter your community events as well! Just follow the link and the simple instructions and you are on your way. If you have questions or need troubleshooting please contact marketing@sustainablewestchester.org.

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