Updated by Staff

Denver Ranks 4th Nationally in Energy-Efficient Buildings 

The list, released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, highlights buildings that earned EPA’s Energy Star in 2009.  The top three cities include Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. The City of Fort Collins also appears on the list, ranked at 24. 

“Energy efficiency saves building owners money, reduces air pollution and fights climate change,” said Patty Crow of EPA’s Energy Star program in Denver.  “Denver continues to demonstrate that environmental and business performance go hand-in-hand.”
 
Through 2009, Denver-area Energy Star commercial buildings include 136 buildings with more than 31 million square-feet of floor space.  Energy-efficiency measures taken at these buildings yielded more than $29 million in utility bill savings in 2009. These measures also reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the emissions from more than 57,000 cars.  EPA will continue to work with the City of Denver, the Denver Metro Building Owners Management Association, and other partners to bring the Energy Star to even more facilities throughout the Denver-area over the next several months.

“With the creation of Greenprint Denver, the City began requiring municipal office buildings to reach Energy Star status to reduce utility costs,” said Mayor John Hickenlooper.  “We are proud to see others throughout Denver follow this example and make the Mile High City a national leader for energy efficient buildings.  These efforts allow organizations to spend less on utilities and more on promoting economic growth.”

Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for 17 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of over $100 billion per year.  EPA awards the Energy Star to commercial buildings that perform in the top 25 percent of buildings nationwide compared to similar buildings.  Thirteen types of buildings can earn the Energy Star, including schools, hospitals, office buildings, retail stores and supermarkets.

View a list of the Top 25 Cities in 2009 with Energy Star-labeled buildings:  http://energystar.gov/TopCities

Colorado Schools Finish Second in U.S. for Superior Energy Efficiency

DENVER -  According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Colorado ranks second in the nation in schools earning the prestigious Energy Star, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency.

The state’s 2009 Energy Star roster includes 116 schools, placing it second behind Michigan. New York, Virginia, and Indiana also appear in the top five. The Energy Star designation signifies that these school buildings perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency.

“EPA commends the commitment and stewardship exemplified by those who manage Colorado’s schools,” said Patty Crow of EPA’s Energy Star program in Denver. “These facilities are finding ways to save operating costs and reduce pollution.”

“The vanguard of our mission to promote energy management in Colorado’s schools has been our strategic partnership with Energy Star,” said Eric Anderson, Chairman of the Colorado Association of School District Energy Managers.

Schools that earn the Energy Star use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The Colorado Association of School District Energy Managers has made energy performance a priority by encouraging strategic energy management and making cost-effective improvements to buildings.

EPA’s Energy Star energy performance scale helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a 75 or higher on EPA’s 1-100 scale is eligible for the Energy Star. Commercial buildings that can earn the designation include offices, bank branches, financial centers, retail stores, courthouses, hospitals, hotels, K-12 schools, medical offices, supermarkets, dormitories, houses of worship, and warehouses.

For more information about ENERGY STAR visit: www.energystar.gov/buildings.
For more about the Colorado Association of School District Energy Managers visit: www.casdem.org