Future-focused project gets going

The Johnson Controls dollar-neutral energy savings project with eventual cost savings will feature a total of 14 energy conservation measures, beginning with work at the Patchogue Theatre for Performing Arts.

An escrow account loan in the amount of $5.2 million through Sterling Bank was officially taken out to be allocated, as needed, for additional projects including solar panels, which will add energy efficiency to the village. The savings from the half a million dollars, usually paid to PSEG each year, will be used to pay the bill.

The annual lease cost is about $327,000 per year with about $187,843 in energy savings. Once paid off, the units would be owned by the village and are expected to last well over 30 years.

The total project comes at an approximate $5.2 million cost, with projected savings of $8.2 mil- lion over 25 years. The project will be funded through the loan at a net-zero cost to the taxpayer with a 2.2 percent interest rate.

Christopher Fitzsimmons, Johnson Controls account executive, said construction for the project should take approximately 18 months and a bill on it would essentially not be due until completion. The first payment will likely be due in June 2023, though savings, Fitzsimmons said, would be immediate.

“Patchogue has always been future focused and this is a big part of it,” he said.

“The project will have positive ramifications for many future generations to come,” BID executive director Dennis Smith and leader of the project, added.

"We feel like we're leading the way in the village's amazing renewable energy transformation," representatives from the Patchogue Theatre said, eager for the project to start.

The project

The project includes all seven village-owned facilities in need of essential infrastructure upgrades, village-wide LED street lighting implementation, cost-reducing HVAC upgrades, village renewable energy initiatives and major climate action and global stewardship.

The goals of the project, Fitzsimmons said, are to overall improve the safety, security and comfort of environments, reduce utility and operational costs, address deferred maintenance costs, leverage utility incentives and rebates, modernize systems and define and support renewable energy.

Towards the beginning of the project, all 35 miles of roadway streetlighting will be replaced with LEDs; then the project will move towards heating system upgrades and installation of solar at the Department of Public Works yard, beach club, theatre and Village Hall. The project will conclude with a carport behind the theatre. The parks and recreation building at 380 Bay Avenue will also feature electric charging stations as well as behind the theatre.

According to trustee Joe Keyes, many of these infrastructure items would have eventually needed to be addressed with the potential to cost the taxpayer money.

“This really has no effect on our established budget and no effect on the taxpayer,” he said, describing the project as a “one-stop shop,” also noting that if they had to do all the work themselves, “it would have taken forever.”

Theatre renovations

The project will start with theatre work including lighting interior and exterior, weatherization, roof replacement, temperature control upgrades and rooftop unit replacement, as well as water conservation upgrades and solar.

“We want to first look at the theatre to open soon,” said Fitzsimmons, eager to break ground.

The new roof will also house a new air unit with “bi-polar ionization,” basically an indoor air-quality enhancer, perfect for COVID-19 quality control.

Solar carport

The solar carport will be similar to the one recently installed in Lindenhurst as part of a Johnson Controls project. Patchogue’s carport will be located in the two eastern-most parking spot areas to the rear of the theatre. The project will generate about 250,000 KW per year, which will be sold back to the grid for about $32,000, supporting roughly 40 homes.

The port, Keyes said, will also feature underlighting for security and safety, and no parking stalls will be sacrificed for the project. The project will begin in February or March of 2022.

“This project is about doing it today but really securing the village in for the future, both financially and environmentally,” mayor Paul Pontieri said. “It’s about making it a better place to live.”