United Way Of LI's Resiliency Project Is 'Live Learning Lab' As Well

DEER PARK, NY — Solar panels are scheduled to go up in January atop the United Way of Long Island's headquarters — and students in the Workforce Development Training Academy will be shadowing every move by the installers.

That's because the United Way's award-winning Zero Energy Building Campaign does three things: save on electricity bills, build resilience for the next superstorm, and widen access to good-paying jobs for people in the organization's job programs.

The $2.4 million transformational project will be a hands-on training ground for the organization's Workforce Development Training Academy, which consists of VetsBuild, YouthBuild, and PowerUp! Wind, Solar & Renewables programs, serving veterans and young adults.

"It turns our facility into a live learning lab," Craig Fligstein, UWLI's chief grant officer, told Patch. "The contractors working on this, we’ll be working side by side with them. This makes it very personal to us. We’ll shadow the installation. They'll be training at the same time."

The project also brings United Way of Long Island into the next generation of energy efficiency.

Its headquarters, renamed the Entenmann Family Center for Hope, will not only save money on electricity that can instead be invested in the organization's programs, but also with 576 PV solar modules, be able to function as a "command center" for other non-profit organizations across Long Island.

"We don’t know what the next disaster is going to look like," Fligstein said. "No one knew how COVID was going to affect everything. Sandy brought us to our knees — we couldn’t operate because we had no power. With this project, we will be up and running through a widespread power outage. We could convene health and human services partner agencies. Based on the disaster, we could be a staging area, whatever the need is — food storage, warming center, charging cell phones.

"We’re here to support Long Island whether it’s a beautiful 80 degree day or an ice storm."

The Net Zero Energy Building Campaign, funded with a lead grant from the New York State Energy Research Development Authority and a naming gift from the Entenmann family, now includes DASNY, Suffolk County Legislature, the Robert B. Catell Family, Brookhaven Science Associates, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Suffolk Transportation Service, the Town of Babylon, and Flushing Bank.

"Entenmann's and the UWLI have a long history. They’ve supported us for years," Fligstein said. "The family has been so generous."

Two training partners — the Long Island Power Authority, and Bank of America — have contributed to the campaign through their support of the Workforce Development Training Academy. The campaign has also received essential in-kind support from the Haugland Group, Cameron Engineering, Emcor and Heritage Air, and Atom Power.

Also, New York's Empire State Development program announced a grant of $100,000 in November, and Suffolk County awarded United Way of Long Island a $385,000 JumpSMART Small Business Downtown Investment Program grant for its hands-on training in clean energy and renewables for veterans and young adults.

Long Island Business News honored the Net Zero Energy Building Campaign as Long Island’s "Top Green Project" in its 2023 Real Estate, Architecture, and Engineering Awards.

"We've been taking it in stages," Fligstein said.

Phase One of the NET ZERO Energy Building Campaign saw the successful installation of energy recovering ventilators on the roof. The demolition of old, existing air distribution duct work was replaced with new slim duct work and refrigeration piping was set to all outdoor condensing units. Most recently, Phase Two to fully power the building with electric air source heat pumps was completed, providing improved comfort and ventilation. Phase Three, the 576-panel solar array that will generate as much or more electricity than the building uses is anticipated to begin in January.

The air source heat pumps just installed "look like gigantic washing machines on Grand Boulevard," Fligstein said. The other eye-catching addition is the open-air, fully-enclosed steel staircase.

That's the way to get students in the construction and renewables programs up to the rooftop, Fligstein said.

"We’re looking to usher in a new wave of workers in tune with emerging career choices. We work with a lot of students from hardship communities, for whom these programs give access to the modern workforce and financial stability," he said. "There are already a lot of jobs in this sector."

In fact, graduates of the Power Up! Wind, Solar & Renewables training program are among the skilled professionals on site completing the work.

"The benefits and opportunities we’re creating through the Net Zero Energy Building Campaign are an example of the good that comes when labor, industry, and government work together to benefit our communities," said Theresa A. Regnante, President and CEO of United Way of Long Island.