NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 06/04/12 -- Con Edison for the third straight year is taking a lead role in supporting Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's program to encourage the creation of "cool" roofs and recently sent a team of volunteers to coat a roof atop Kiely Hall at Queens College.
Con Edison volunteers donned painting clothes and grabbed rollers to spread white coating on the Kiely roof, which will help the school cut its energy bills.
The company is lead sponsor of NYC °CoolRoofs 2012, which encourages building owners to install roofs that reflect the sun's rays.
Con Edison's volunteer contributions to the program will continue. Hundreds of Con Edison employees have volunteered to put white roofs on buildings across New York City.
Research -- including studies by Columbia University at a Con Edison facility in Long Island City, Queens -- show that white roofs absorb less sunlight, cutting air conditioning needs, compared to traditional dark roofs. Dark roofs radiate heat back into the atmosphere at night, contributing to warmer urban temperatures.
Along with providing volunteers and a cash grant, Con Edison will promote the °CoolRoofs program in bill inserts and paid advertising. The company has been lead sponsor each year of the program.
"Mayor Bloomberg's °CoolRoofs program enhances the quality of life for all New Yorkers," said Frances A. Resheske, Con Edison's senior vice president for Public Affairs. "This visionary program supports our goal of helping our customers cut their energy usage and save money."
Since 2005, Con Edison has installed more than 500,000 square feet of white roof membranes on its facilities, including its headquarters in Manhattan, substations and other buildings. The company has plans to add another 82,000 square feet of white roofing in 2012.
The company has cooled more rooftops than any other company in the city since the NYC °CoolRoofs program began in 2010.
Con Edison's support of NYC °CoolRoofs is one of many initiatives to promote energy efficiency and the environment. Con Edison offers a range of programs to help residential, multi-family and commercial customers reduce their usage and cut their bills. For information, go to http://coned.com/energyefficiency/ or call 1-877-870-6118.
The company is actively promoting the use of solar energy, a clean, renewable resource. Con Edison has also established a new department to help customers convert from oil to natural gas, which is less expensive and cleaner.
Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE: ED), one of the nation's largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $13 billion in annual revenues and $40 billion in assets. The utility provides electric, gas and steam service to more than 3 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, New York. For additional financial, operations and customer service information, visit www.conEd.com, our green site, www.coned.com/thepowerofgreen, or find us on Facebook at Power of Green.
Con Edison supports hundreds of nonprofit organizations in New York City and Westchester County to strengthen neighborhoods, sustain communities and improve lives. These philanthropic efforts support the arts, environment, and important educational initiatives in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Many of Con Edison's 14,000 employees share a personal commitment to the region's vitality through their own volunteer efforts and also choose to support education by utilizing the company's matching gifts program.
Embedded Video Available
Embedded Video Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2002588
Contact:
Media Relations
212-460-4111
