Gov. Pataki announces $170 million Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems to be housed at Syracuse University

Gov. Pataki announces $170 million Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems to be housed at Syracuse UniversityJune 05, 2002Jonathan Hayjhay@syr.edu

Gov. George E. Pataki announced today that a consortium led by Syracuse University has been awarded $37 million in funding from New York State to help create the Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems (CoE-ES).

“Our new Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems will attract new companies, generate millions of dollars in new investments and bring new high-paying jobs to Syracuse and Central New York,” Pataki said. “Central New York has the academic power and the corporate strength to become a worldwide leader in environmental systems engineering, and this new initiative will place the entire region in the forefront of technology-based job creation and economic growth in the 21st century.”

The CoE-ES is a regional partnership founded to coordinate and channel the research, development and production of environmental system solutions. While headquartered at Syracuse University, the CoE-ES is more than a place; it is a regional hub that provides funding, facilities, support and training for the center’s partners. The CoE-ES recognizes and builds on the Central New York region’s cluster of environmentally related educational programs, research and development, and manufacturing and environmental engineering, which together provide a vast range of goods and services.

“By establishing this Center, Governor Pataki has shown a substantive commitment to economic development,” said Syracuse University Chancellor Kenneth A. Shaw. “It is substantive because it draws on the intellectual resources of institutions of higher education in this region, and because it also builds on the obvious strengths that businesses in upstate New York have in the area of environmental systems. By this action, the state is showing it is in the economicdevelopment business for the long haul. We thank the Governor for his vision and leadership in creating the Centers of Excellence.”

To date, the CoE-ES has generated more than $170 million in public and private support from a consortium of university, research, corporate and economic development partners, and from New York state and the federal government. With this support, the partners are addressing the full spectrum of scientific, engineering and policy issues pertaining to environmental systems. The CoE-ES will conduct research to develop new technologies, solutions and applications that will improve health and human performance in the following areas:

• Built environmental systems-indoor air quality, comfort, lighting, acoustics, energy efficiency, and intelligent control systems.
• Urban ecosystems-renewable resources, ambient air quality, water resource management, waste management and sustainable development.

The CoE-ES is a result of New York State’s Centers of Excellence initiative. The goal of the CoE-ES is twofold:

• To channel the efforts of those currently working in the environmental sector- university and research institutions, businesses and economic development organizations-into targeted research to develop solutions to improve built and urban environments.
• To position Central New York as an internationally known destination for environmental research and development-much like California’s Silicon Valley is known for computer technology-to foster economic growth and development in the region and New York State.

“This Center will be the foundation for us to capitalize on the unique strengths of the environmental cluster for which Central New York is globally competitive,” said H. Douglas Barclay, president of the Metropolitan Development Association (MDA) of Central New York Inc. and former New York state senator. “The MDA-representing Central New York business leadership and in partnership with Syracuse University, New York State and the federal government-accepts the challenge toturn the Center’s research and development into jobs and investment for our region and state.”

The CoE-ES is supported by more than 50 corporate and economic development partners who have pledged $100 million in support of the Center. Of the 50 partners, six have pledged a combined $90 million: Pyramid Management Group Inc. ($45 million); Niagara Mohawk, A National Grid Company ($15 million); McQuay International ($10 million); Syracuse Research Corporation ($10 million); Carrier Corporation ($6.5 million) and Welch Allyn ($4 million).

“One hundred years ago this summer, Dr. Willis Carrier invented modern air conditioning, a technology breakthrough that revolutionized the world in which we live and work,” said Todd Bluedorn, president of Carrier North America Commercial Operations. “The creation of the new Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems will spur the same kind of innovation by bringing together the intellectual capital and business acumen needed to solve the environmental challenges of the twenty-first century. Carrier Corporation applauds Governor Pataki for his visionary leadership.”

“Niagara Mohawk is proud to be a part of this important initiative,” said William E. Davis, chairman of National Grid USA, Niagara Mohawk’s parent company. “With the commitment announced today by Gov. Pataki, we are well on our way to making Central New York internationally known as the one-stop solution for leading-edge indoor environmental products, services and expertise.”

The New York Indoor Environmental Quality Center Inc. (NYIEQ) will help provide business incubation and acceleration, workforce development and other industry outreach activities. Ultimately, these focused efforts will play a major role in attracting new businesses and jobs to Central New York and spur the region’s economic revitalization.

“The CoE-ES will establish a critical link between our academic research institutions and our leading environmental technology companies that will lead to the development of new technologies, solutions and applications that improve both human health and productivity worldwide and create jobs in Central New York,” said NYIEQ Executive Director R. Leland Davis. “Central New York has been anenvironmental technology leader over the past 100 years, and this Center will ensure our leadership position in the future.”

In addition to the leading-edge technologies and expertise provided by corporate partners, the CoE-ES will be supported by a consortium of 11 university and research institutions. The university and research institutions have committed more than $24 million in financial support for CoE-ES projects.

The partners of the CoE-ES have been awarded over $50 million in government support. New York State awarded $15.9 million in 2001 to create the Environmental Quality Systems (EQS) Center and $2.3 million to create the NYIEQ, two of the key CoE-ES partners. Governor Pataki announced an additional $22 million of state funding today for the CoE-ES. On the federal level, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded funds of $3.8 million to provide infrastructure and research to support the CoE-ES. In addition, Syracuse University and its research partner institutions have been awarded more than $7 million in federal funding for environmental system-related, multiple-year, competitively sponsored research.

“I’m pleased that Governor Pataki and State of New York officials have chosen to support our local efforts by awarding a Center of Excellence designation here in Syracuse,” said U.S. Rep. James T. Walsh (NY-25). “When I helped launch the New York Indoor Air Quality Center two years ago, I did so understanding the need to unite local indoor air quality business interests and research institutions under one roof. Governor Pataki’s support will progress these efforts and allow Central New York to become the world’s leader in indoor environmental systems research and development.”

Senator Nancy Larraine Hoffmann said, “The Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems at Syracuse University will take advantage of the assets of Central New York, including the numerous academic institutions and private industry to attract new businesses and jobs to the Syracuse area. This project together with the other Gen*NY*sis projects across the state will put New York in the forefront of biotechnology. Syracuse is where air conditioning was born at Carrier and it will be the leader in Environmental Systems thanks to the efforts of Governor Pataki.”

Senator John DeFrancisco said, “While budget negotiations were very difficult this year, in the end we were able to make prudent decisions that will be good for our economy. I applaud Governor Pataki for helping to make a Gen*NY*sis Center of Excellence at Syracuse University a reality. Now that State funds are in place, we can look forward to additional job creation and new economic opportunities for our community.”

For more information about the CoE-ES and its partners, visit http://www.coees.org (Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems), http://eqs.syr.edu (New York Star Center for Environmental Quality Systems) or http://www.nyieq.com (New York Indoor Environmental Quality Center Inc.).