Constellation, a NAESCO-accredited energy service company (ESCO) and an Exelon company, provides integrated, project-based solutions to customers seeking creative and customized strategies to address efficiency, sustainability and resiliency.
Constellation recently helped the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey save money and reduce its carbon footprint by installing lighting upgrades across the World Trade Center campus. Constellation retrofitted more than 13,000 lighting fixtures to new LED fixtures, a cutting-edge lighting technology that reduces energy consumption and increases life expectancy of lamps. Upgrades were completed in the campus’s Vehicle Security Center, Central Chiller Plant, PATH Station, Oculus Transportation Hub, and throughout other supporting infrastructure.
Furthermore, Constellation replaced the "up lighting" in the Oculus, located between columns in the 800,000 square-foot facility, with new red-green-blue spot lighting. As a result of this and the installation of lighting controls, Constellation enabled the historic landmark to have a truly vibrant lighting display. Thanks to Constellation’s continued work despite logistical challenges posed by COVID-19, the project was completed in November 2020, and the Port Authority debuted the new functionality by illuminating the Oculus in red, white, and blue in honor of Veteran’s Day. The Oculus will also be lit for other holidays and observances moving forward.
The project was implemented through a $7.9 million energy savings performance contract (ESPC), and it’s expected to conserve roughly 6.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and reduce carbon emissions by more than 4,500 metric tons annually (over the term of the 10-year contract). In just the first year alone, Constellation’s upgrades will save the Port Authority $700,000.
"The completion of this lighting project with Constellation is an important component of our efforts to increase energy efficiency at our facilities," said Rick Cotton, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. "Through our partnership with Constellation, we are making the World Trade Center campus more sustainable and resilient."
The World Trade Center project is another example of the fruitful relationship between Constellation and the Port Authority. Over the past decade, Constellation has completed several energy efficiency projects for the agency, including at the Lincoln Tunnel, Holland Tunnel, George Washington Bridge, Goethals Bridge, and Port Authority Bus Terminal. Constellation also oversaw the implementation of vehicle charging stations at JFK and Newark airports.