National Grid grants $1 million in energy efficiency rebates to world’s largest housing cooperative

National Grid will provide more than $1 million in energy efficiency rebates to the owners of Rochdale Village in Jamaica Queens, New York, the world’s largest housing cooperative.

Rochdale Village saves about 1.3 million therms annually as a result of energy efficiency measures, the equivalent of taking 1,419 cars off the road or planting 171,759 trees. The housing cooperative, which spans 120 acres and includes 20 apartment buildings, a daycare center, three schools, a public library, a business district, two shopping mall and a power plant, is on pace to meet New York City’s Carbon Challenge to reduce building emissions by 30 percent by 2025.

“Rochdale Village is making energy efficiency and the environment a priority for their local community,” Louis Rizzo, the manager of energy programs operations at National Grid, said. “We congratulate them on their commitment for the past four years to implement significant energy saving efforts.”

Rochdale Village’s most significant energy efficiency upgrades were to the cooperative’s power plant. Four new boilers were installed, two turbine generators were restored and a cooling tower was upgraded. Energy for the cooperative’s heating, air condition, hot water, and lighting come from the power plant.

“Over the past four years Rochdale Village completed several energy efficient improvements including, installation of low-flow shower heads in apartments, new roof installations on over 20 structures throughout the complex and a campus-wide conversion to LED lighting; an upgrade that keeps area lights bright while lowering energy costs,” Herbert Freedman, general manager of Marion Scott Real Estate, said. “The most extensive energy improvements to date are those made to the community’s ‘total energy’ power plant.”