The Greater Rochester International Airport (GRIA) has been selected to receive the New York Chapter of American Public Works Association's (APWA) Project Of The Year Award. GRIA recently installed a state-of-the-art heat and power system that enables the airport to generate its own electricity while using waste heat from special electric generation equipment for space heating, cooling and hot water.

"This combined heating and power system gives the airport the cost efficiency and the operational independence so important to meet the current times," said Jack Doyle, Monroe County Executive. "We expect to save approximately 48 percent or $482,000 in annual energy costs at the airport.

The award promotes excellence in the management and administration of public works projects by recognizing the partnership between the managing agency and participating consultants and contractors. Monroe County was nominated by the Monroe/Genesee Branch of New York APWA. The county partnered with the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. to complete the project.

The award will be presented to county officials and project partners at The Shaker Ridge Events, 802 Albany Shaker Road, Loudonville, New York on Friday, April 25, at 11:30 a.m.

The combined heat and power (CHP) plant at the airport provides multiple benefits for the airport facility, airport travelers, and county taxpayers. These benefits are realized through energy cost savings, increased power quality and reliability, environmental improvements and increased stability relating to future energy costs at the airport.

To highlight the project, GRIA will open a web site, www.rocenergysavings.com, and kiosk to provide an overview of the project for business and institutions interested in CHP. The site will present information about the type of CHP system installed, diagrams of the system and details of the site's energy and environmental gains from the systems operation. The web site will also include a video developed by four local high school students from Churchville-Chili Central Schools who worked on this project under an internship with Siemans Building Technologies, Inc. The system is expected to yield a reduction of more than six million-kilowatt hours per year; enough electricity to power more than 1,000 homes.

The CHP plant consists of two medium-sized 750-kilowatt engine driven co-generation units that produce electricity and hot water. The hot water is linked to the existing airport heating system and central cooling system. Hot water heat recovered from the co-generation units is used to heat the airport in winter and, through a special mechanism known as an absorption chiller, is also provides air conditioning in the summer. The CHP plant simultaneously produces most of the airport's electricity as well as its hot water, building heat and air conditioning.