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Supervisor Jon Kaiman Joins Long Island Leaders to Continue Push for Energy Efficiency and Green Jobs


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June 27, 2011                                                                                                                                                                     (516) 869-7794

Supervisor Jon Kaiman Joins Long Island Leaders to Continue Push for Energy Efficiency and Green Jobs

North Hempstead One of Seven Towns on Long Island to Join ‘LI Green Homes’ Initiative to Empower Homeowners

NORTH HEMPSTEAD, NY – Supervisor Jon Kaiman, continuing on his crusade to make North Hempstead the green capital of Long Island, recently attended the New York Energy Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA) summit to push for promoting programs that retrofit energy efficient homes while lowering utility costs for homeowners. The summit, which was made up of leaders in local government, the private sector and organized labor, was a gathering that sought to expand on recent accomplishments of the Long Island Green Homes Consortium that have united to find innovative ways to help homeowners combat the tide of rising energy costs.

“It’s a green age on Long Island and an opportunity to achieve great things before us,” said Supervisor Jon Kaiman. “When we’re partnering with all of these Towns and private businesses together, we really have done something that has brought people together.”

The Long Island Green Homes Consortium is a cooperative effort of seven Long Island municipalities, including North Hempstead, which seeks to reduce energy costs and usage for Long Island homeowners by helping the get comprehensive home energy audits and make cost effective energy upgrades to their home.

Towns that offer this program begin by getting a comprehensive Home Energy Audit with programs from NYSDERDA, LIPA and National Grid, which is free or provided at a reduced cost for most Long Islanders. A program-approved, BPI-accredited contractor will then perform an analysis of a resident’s home and provide a report of the existing conditions in the home and recommended upgrades with associated costs and estimated energy savings.

With available low-cost financing, homeowners could have no out-of-pocket expenses. The savings in energy bills will pay for the improvements to one’s own work done in the home.

Homeowners are simply required to follow six simple steps to complete the entire process, including finding out which program is right for you, gathering energy usage records (energy bills), filling out an application or choosing a contractor, working with your contractor to decide what improvements you will make to your home, choosing a financing options and lastly receiving rebates and incentives for the energy saving measures you install in your home.

The transition to energy efficiency is nothing new by any means. According to a 2008 survey, 75% of Long Island homeowners have invested in more insulation in their homes and 74% have started using more efficient lighting.

Long Island Green Homes also has received a plethora of environmental, civic and community support from organizations that feel this program is heading on the right track for Long Island. Some include Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Group for the East End, Renewable Energy Long Island and Vision Long Island.

The Towns of Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip, Smithtown and Southampton have also joined to partner with this unique and island-wide program.

For more information on this program, please visit www.longislandgreenhomes.org or call NYSDERDA at 1-877-NYSMART.


Supervisor Jon Kaiman at the New York Energy Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA) summit in Melville.

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