FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 13, 2019 

City Converts to LED Lights in 12 Municipal Buildings

KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steve Noble is pleased to announce that the City of Kingston has completed the conversion to LED lights at 12 municipal buildings. The installation at all 12 buildings was subsidized by Central Hudson and was implemented at a total cost to the City of $128,880.69. This investment is estimated to be paid off in 2 years and 6 months. Once the investment is paid off, the City can expect to save $51,147.72 each year in electric lighting costs.

The buildings include the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center, City Court, City Hall, DPW’s Administration Building, Garage, and Wilbur Ave facility, the Everette Hodge Community Center, the Police Station, Rondout and Uptown Fire Stations and the Transfer Station. 

The City will save 426,231 kWh in energy and related greenhouse gas production per year, the equivalent of the electricity use of 36 homes in one year. The energy savings from this project represents 7% of the City's energy use in 2017 (5,984,150 kWh). 

“I’m so excited this project has been successfully implemented and the City will start reducing its annual greenhouse emissions by over 300 metric tons of C02e, which is the equivalent of removing 64 cars from the road for one year,” said Mayor Steve Noble. “It won’t be long before this project completely pays for itself and the savings to the City’s taxpayers will grow exponentially.” 

Through their Small Business Direct Install Lighting Program, Central Hudson funded nearly half of the City of Kingston’s LED conversion, subsidizing $116,921.30 of the entire project. 

“The conversion of lighting at municipal buildings across the City is a part of our overall sustainability plan for Kingston,” said Julie Noble, Environmental Education and Sustainability Coordinator. “We are also working to convert the City’s street lighting to LEDs, which will be another critical measure for conservation and savings to taxpayers. These city sustainability initiatives span multiple departments and have a positive impact on city government and the community as a whole.”