Executive Vice President Joe Ienuso Accepts University's ENYA Award

While taking in immaculate views of the Hudson River, building managers and representatives from energy organizations and large institutions gathered on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 for the presentation of this year's Energy New York Awards (ENYA). Executive Vice President of Facilities Joseph A. Ienuso accepted the Leadership Award on behalf of the University.

By
Office of the Executive Vice President
April 28, 2009

While taking in immaculate views of the Hudson River, building managers and representatives from energy organizations and large institutions gathered on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 for the presentation of this year's Energy New York Awards (ENYA). Executive Vice President of Facilities Joseph A. Ienuso accepted the Leadership Award on behalf of the University.

After receiving the award, Joe thanked the New York Energy Consumers Council (NYECC) and his supportive team at Columbia. He says, "It's a pleasure to receive this award and to be able to work with people who embrace energy reliability and conservation. As leaders, we must often turn to our team for additional leadership and support, and I credit my team for helping us to become efficient energy users."

Columbia has engaged in several initiatives to conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2007, the University joined Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC Challenge to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 30% by 2017. Other sustainable initiatives include green building and clean construction efforts, establishment of green roofs, use of hybrid vehicles, and the utilization of geothermal energy.

The 4th annual ceremony, organized by the New York Energy Consumers Council, was held in Battery Park City, NY at the Visionaire, an eco-friendly condominium whose construction utilizes a central heating and cooling system powered by natural gas, pesticide-free rooftop gardens that harvest rainwater for irrigation, and photovoltaic panels that harvest sunlight and generate electricity for the building. David F. Bomke, executive director of the NYECC, served as the event's master of ceremonies and announced the nominees and winners for each of the three categories-Innovation, Leadership, and Vision.

Each year the NYECC honors organizations and/or individuals who demonstrate exceptional qualities of vision, innovation, and leadership in strengthening the energy reliability and economic competitiveness of New York by presenting them with Energy New York Awards (ENYA). Past winners include John Gilbert from Rudin Management and New York University.

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