 National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C. Vol. 31, No. 17 * September 13, 1999 Previous story | Table of Contents | Next story EPA, Energy Department hand out By Tony Hayes
EPA and the Department of Energy presented their 1999 ENERGY STAR awards to Broward County, Fla., the Wake County, N.C. Public School System, and Mercer County, N.J., for their outstanding accomplishments in making their facilities more energy-efficient. Broward County, Fla., received the 1999 ENERGY STAR Buildings Government Partner of the Year award for making energy-efficient upgrades that affected more than 2.7 million square feet in their facilities. In addition to saving the county a hefty sum of money, the upgrades have eliminated the annual release of 14 million pounds of carbon dioxide. This would be the equivalent of planting 1,918 acres of trees. Wake County (N.C.) Public Schools won the 1999 ENERGY STAR Buildings Education Partner of the Year award for their innovative program that increases energy efficiency within school facilities. The Energy Savers Program reduced the school system’s energy expenses by more than $600,000 last year by using the ENERGY STAR Buildings approach and by providing workshops on energy management and conservation. The program also offers an Energy Savers Handbook that promotes the goals of the Energy Savers Program and offers suggestions on how individual schools can become more energy efficient. Mercer County, N.J., also received national recognition in winning the 1999 Green Lights Government Partner of the Year award. Since 1993, the county has upgraded the lights in more than 2.5 million square feet of government buildings and schools. This has resulted in an annual energy savings of $1.7 million and prevented 10.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. The ENERGY STAR Buildings and Green Lights awards recognize businesses and organizations that have made significant efforts investing in and implementing energy efficiency upgrades. The awards are also given for promoting the benefits of energy efficiency and recruiting other organizations to partner with the ENERGY STAR Program. The ENERGY STAR Program is a joint effort between EPA and DOE to promote the adoption of energy efficiency and the use of energy-efficient equipment in public and private buildings. By joining EPA’s ENERGY STAR Buildings Program, counties can receive free technical assistance from energy experts on how to reduce energy waste, improve building performance, and finance energy efficiency upgrades. ENERGY STAR partners are asked to prioritize for profitability by using a five-step energy upgrade strategy that leads to maximum savings, and minimizes capital costs. Counties that are ENERGY STAR Partners include: Maricopa, Ariz.; San Joaquin and Los Angeles, Calif.; Boulder, Colo.; Dade and Broward, Fla.; Fulton and Cobb, Ga.; Montgomery and Baltimore, Md.; Wake, N.C.; Cuyahoga and Lucas, Ohio; Multnomah and Douglas, Ore.; Lawrence and Delaware, Pa.; Harris and Fort Bend, Texas; Salt Lake, Utah; Fauquier and Arlington, Va.; Whatcom and King, Wash.; and Polk County, Wis. Multnomah County, Ore., is an ENERGY STAR Partner and has reduced its electric bill by over $335,000 per year through energy efficiency improvements. A detailed case study of the program is included NACo’s Environmental Purchasing Starter Kit. To order the Starter Kit or a separate copy of the case study, or for more information about the ENERGY STAR Buildings Program, please contact Tony Hayes at 202/942-4247, email: thayes@naco.org. You may also want to visit the ENERGY STAR Buildings Program on the Internet at: www.epa.gov/energystar. |