Energy Star for Your Business

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR is a voluntary, government program that helps Americans save energy and money with tested and proven energy-efficient products and practices. In 2006 alone, with the help of ENERGY STAR, Americans saved $14 billion on their energy bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to those from 25 million vehicles. ENERGY STAR offers an energy management strategy to help measure energy performance, set goals, track savings, and reward improvements for commercial and industrial buildings across America.

Building Energy Use and Its Impact on the Environment

Energy use in commercial and industrial buildings is responsible for about 45 percent of the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. However, the opportunity to reduce these emissions is significant, since as much as 30 percent of the energy consumed in commercial and industrial buildings is often wasted. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through the ENERGY STAR program, can show you how to reduce your buildings’ emissions through enhanced energy efficiency.

Consider that:

A 400 percent variation in the intensity of energy use in America’s buildings exists and cannot be explained by age, technology, hours, size, or climate.
Little improvement of overall energy consumption has been seen, although building components are 30 percent more efficient than they were in 1980.
Oversizing building fan systems, on average, occurs by 60 percent.
Most chillers are oversized by 50 to 200 percent.

Good Energy Management Is Good Business

The value of strong energy management is increasingly recognized by financial analysts.Studies by Innovest Strategic Value Advisors (see online at www.energystar.gov/energymanagement) found that leaders in energy management achieved superior stock and financial performance over those slow to adopt in energy management. Here are some recent successes:

Food Lion’s energy savings since 2000 are now equal to the energy needed to power 457 virtual stores, as if 37 percent of the chain uses no energy at all.
Marriott saved almost $6 million in 2006. This equals a reduction in operating costs of 10 cents per occupied room night and a nearly 2 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per available room.
Davenport Community School District reduced the annual energy cost per student to $88 compared to the national average of $181 per student.
PepsiCo reduced its energy use by 6 percent in 2006 and avoided an estimated $14 million in energy and utility costs.

Use Less, Save More, and Earn the ENERGY STAR

Demand for environmentally friendly buildings is growing, and superior energy efficiency, identified by the ENERGY STAR, is a critical element of green building. Buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR are the top performers for energy efficiency nationwide and use about 35 percent less energy than average buildings.

Consider that buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR:

Cost 50 cents less per square foot to operate.
Have higher occupancy rates, increased asset value, and lower carbon emissions.
Experience continuous improvement in energy performance over time.

Thousands of buildings and a growing number of industrial facilities in all 50 states have earned the prestigious ENERGY STAR for superior energy performance. With no-cost tools and guidance, EPA can help you meet your goals and contribute to ENERGY STAR’s nationwide challenge to improve the energy efficiency of America’s commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more!

To learn how ENERGY STAR can assist you in energy management, visit: http://www.energystar.gov/buildings | download PDF version of this document