CANTON -- SUNY Canton is expected to save more than $236,000 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 800 tons annually due to energy efficiency features at the new Roos House.

The $45-million athletic center opened in 2011. It features a fitness center, a lap pool, a field house that includes basketball, volleyball and tennis courts as well as a track, an ice arena, locker room facilities, athletic department office space and a new eatery.

The energy efficiency features in the building include insulation, high performance glazing, lighting and day-lighting controls, thermal energy storage and energy recovery measures. As a result, the athletic facility is expected to be 32 percent more efficient than required by the state energy code.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority provided $383,000 in incentives for the project, which is expected to reduce natural gas usage by 2,763 million Btu and electricity usage by 1.1 million kilowatt hours. The natural gas saving is equivalent to the amount need to heat 39 homes annually, and the electricity savings would power 160 homes. The NYSERDA incentive defrayed the costs of the energy improvements.

“Our colleges and universities can greatly assist the state in achieving its energy goals through measures such as those that SUNY Canton has invested in through this project,” said Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO at NYSERDA.

Funding for the project came from NYSERDA’s New Construction Program, which provides technical support and financial incentives to building owners for the sustainable construction of new or renovated structures.

The project supported Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Build Smart NY initiative, which aims to increase energy efficiency in state building by 20 percent within seven years. The initiative is expected to save millions of dollars for taxpayers and create jobs while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“We must make incorporating energy efficiency a priority in all of our state owned buildings. The SUNY Canton project highlights the benefits that can be realized by installing energy efficiency measures - a reduction in costs and energy usage as well as having a positive impact on our environment,” said Governor Cuomo.

For more information on Build Smart NY visit www.buildsmart.ny.gov.