Albany County’s commitment to becoming a more sustainable community by “going green” includes many initiatives that help the county reduce energy-related expenses while increasing our use of renewable and alternative energy sources.
This page showcases recent county projects that will conserve energy, protect the environment and save money for Albany County taxpayers. Albany County has many ongoing and completed projects to improve the energy efficiency of County facilities. These projects will save the County cost while reducing wasted energy.
Albany County has been active for a number of years retrofitting buildings and implementing energy conservation measures. Below you will find details about current and past green projects in the County.
Albany County Broadway Multi-modal Transportation StudyIn collaboration with CDTC, Albany County is evaluating the Broadway corridor between Downtown Albany and Watervliet. This study will analyze transportation systems and infrastructure in the corridor and come up with creative solutions to create safer, more environmentally friendly, and more sustainable transportation systems in the area.Solar ArrayIn September of 2023 we broke ground on the site of Albany County’s first major solar photovoltaic (PV) ground-mount array on five acres of county property in the Town of Colonie. The county will purchase the nearly 2.6 million kilowatt hours of clean, renewable electricity generated by the farm each year, and be reimbursed for the power generated on county property, which is projected to benefit county tax payers in the long-term. This project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.Electric VehiclesWe have also made smart investments at the county level to save money and decrease our carbon footprint. To date we have purchased 8 new Chevy Bolts and 4 new Ford Lightning trucks adding to our electrical vehicle inventory as part of the effort to fully electrify the County fleet by 2030. To support this new fleet, we are also expanding electric vehicle infrastructure through the purchase and installation of new electric vehicle charging stations at several County facilities and locations that previously did not have charging stations.Boiler System112 State St Boiler System – full replacement with high efficiency boilers.TU Center RoofIncreased insulation will increase efficiency (complete). Chillers have been upgraded recently, which will lead to a significant savings (we have estimated of $100,000+). HVAC system has been upgraded to high efficiency. Boilers will be upgraded in the near future.LightingGeneral effort to replace all lighting throughout county facilities with LEDs.HVAC UpgradesAll county buildings will be on an automated logic system for full electronic management of heating and cooling. This is taking place in all county buildings and each county floor in 112 State Street.Hockey FacilitySolar panels on roof. Panels are owned and maintained by the County. They have reduced energy consumption by 35% at the facility. Recently complete lightly upgrade to new efficient bulbs and ballasts. High efficiency boilers were recently installed.
Coolant system has been replaced with an environmentally friendly system, current system contains toxic chemical for cooling process.Family CourtCourt HVAC upgrade as part of capital projects.Sewage Treatment Power CogenerationUtilizing the incinerator waste heat energy, the ORC electrical generator system utilizes “bio-mass” product as an energy generation source. This “green power” source reduces dependence on utility grid fossil-fuel powered electrical generation. Read more about the Sewer District Green Initiatives.
