By: Michael T. Lyle, Jr.
MIDDLETOWN >> An office facility based at 100 Roscommon Ave. was one of 13 properties from across the state recognized for their involvement in the first year of the state’s Industrial Property Assessed Clean Energy or C-PACE program.
According to C-PACE Director Jessica Bailey, the program helps state commercial, industrial and multi-family property owners access affordable, long-term financing for smart energy upgrades to their buildings.
The facility was among 13 other properties across the state honored at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford for completing their first year in the program, including Avon, Bridgeport, Canton, Danbury, Hartford, Killingworth, Meriden, Norwalk, Norwich, Simsbury, Trumbull and Windsor.
“C-PACE’s success is a testament to the municipal leaders that see the value in providing their property owners with access to affordable capital, the property owners that embrace energy efficient and renewable energy technologies and the contractors that deliver these improvements,” said Bailey. “With over 75 state cities and towns signed on to the program, and over 120 project applications in the pipeline, C-PACE’s future looks promising as we work in support of Connecticut’s overall energy goals.”
Submitted photo. Left to Right: C-PACE Program Director Jessica Bailey, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Robert Klee, David Ford of Trane Heating and Cooling, State Representative Matthew Lesser and Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority President and CEO Bryan Garcia at Tuesday night’s C-PACE ceremony at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford.
Mark Greenberg, the owner of the facility, said he will receive construction financing of $2,535,766 towards energy efficiency improvements, including high efficiency lighting, new cooling towers, envelope improvements and a photovoltaic system. The project will be completed by Rocky Hill-based Trane U.S., Inc., a global provider of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems and building management systems and controls.
“With the building now 25 years old, we knew we were looking at a major investment sometime soon,” said Greenberg. “We considered several options, but between no money down and the energy savings of the C-PACE program, the answer was a no-brainer.”
The properties completed or will be completing energy-saving and renewable energy projects worth more than $15 million, including the installation of more than 1 megawatt of clean energy, Bailey said. The properties total over 1.3 million square feet, and are estimated to save $25 million dollars over the lifetime of the projects.
C-PACE is part of the State’s Energize Connecticut Initiative, which helps consumers save money and use clean energy. Visit EnergizeCT.com/c-pace for more information.