|
News
for Release: Tuesday, June 26, 2007
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
U.S.
Conference of Mayors Endorses EPA's Energy Star
Challenge
Goal to reduce energy use in public and private
buildings by 10 percent
Contact: Enesta Jones, (202) 564-4355 / jones.enesta@epa.gov
(Washington, D.C. - June 26, 2007) Today, the
U.S. Conference of Mayors endorsed EPA's Energy Star
Challenge as a key strategy in meeting the goals of
the conference's Climate Protection Agreement. As part
of the resolution, the organization will encourage its
members to support and take the Energy Star Challenge,
a national campaign to improve energy efficiency by 10
percent or more in commercial and industrial buildings
across the United States.
"The U.S. Conference of Mayors is leading the way on
climate protection for cities across the country with
the help of Energy Star," said Bob Meyers, EPA's
acting assistant administrator for Air and Radiation.
"Energy efficiency is a win-win for cities looking to
save energy and protect the environment."
The U.S. Conference of Mayors represents America's
1,139 cities with populations of 30,000 or more. These
mayors are uniquely positioned to encourage energy
efficiency goals and improvements for city-owned
buildings and provide a model for local building
owners to follow. EPA will help mayors from coast to
coast reduce carbon emissions and decrease energy use
with tools and resources to measure and track building
energy use, make improvements to existing buildings,
and design new buildings for superior energy
efficiency.
EPA estimates that if the energy efficiency of
commercial and industrial buildings in the United
States improved 10 percent, Americans would save $20
billion each year in utility bills for commercial and
industrial buildings and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions equal to those from about 30 million
vehicles.
More than 100 organizations, including state
governments, leading associations, cities and counties
have taken the Energy Star Challenge. Businesses,
organizations, and governments that are leaders in
energy efficiency use about 30 percent less energy
than their competitors.
For more information about taking the Energy Star
Challenge:
http://www.energystar.gov/challenge
Energy Star was started by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary,
market-based program to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions through energy efficiency. In 2006 alone,
Americans with the help of Energy Star saved $14
billion on their energy bills and reduced greenhouse
gas emissions equivalent to those of 25 million
vehicles. To date, more than 30,000 commercial and
industrial buildings have targeted energy efficiency
improvements and more than 3,200 of these buildings
have earned the Energy Star.
Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S.
Department of Energy designed to save money and
protect the environment through energy efficient
products and practices.
Energy Star:
http://www.energystar.gov
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:
http://www.epa.gov
U.S. Department of Energy:
http://www.energy.gov
|
