ALBANY - First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson Thursday unveiled the first installation of solar panels at the Governor’s Mansion, a significant step toward reducing the Mansion’s energy consumption and pollution. The panels were placed on the Rockefeller Pool House and are already providing energy for the Mansion’s upkeep. The First Lady said that she will continue the “Greening the Mansion” initiative to promote healthy buildings and environmental sustainability, while cutting the home’s electrical energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent.

“If our buildings are unhealthy, it increases the chances that we will be unhealthy and that our children will be unhealthy,” said Mrs. Paterson. “Inefficient buildings are the largest contributors to global warming – in fact, nearly 40 percent of greenhouse emissions come from buildings. This level of pollution contributes to poor air quality and poor health.”

Other, more substantial, changes are also underway at the Mansion. The first photovoltaic panels were installed over the pool house, and they will produce 3.5 kilowatts of energy. This fall, the second installation of solar panels will be placed upon a new carport, adding an additional 46.5 kilowatts to the Mansion’s power supply.

The First Lady also announced the submission of a Governor’s program bill that would provide an economic incentive to residential developers and homeowners to install solar panels and other green features. The Green Residential Program Bill would give all New Yorkers the green building incentives already available to businesses. The bill would help offset the typical 5 percent increase in construction costs when green building features are incorporated into residences.