American Recycler, September 2011 | EPA announces top contenders in competition

SEPTEMBER 2011

EPA announces top contenders in competition

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program announced the top contenders at the midpoint of the 2011 National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. The list of top contenders identifies the leaders with the greatest percent reduction of energy use in each of the 12 building categories in the competition. EPA also provided an update on the progress of all participants as they continue to go head-to-head to save energy, reduce costs and protect Americans’ health and their environment.

The top contenders in each building category/percent energy reduction at the midpoint of the competition are:

University of Central Florida Garage C (Other): Orlando, Florida – 31 percent;
Scientific Instruments (Office): West Palm Beach, Florida –30 percent;
Jackson Creek Middle School (K-12 school): Bloomington, Indiana – 26 percent;
USE Credit Union (Bank): San Diego, California – 20 percent;
North Suburban Medical Office Building (Medical Office): Thornton, Colorado –18 percent;
Office Depot (Retail Store): Plano, Texas – 17 percent;
Hammond U.S. Courthouse (Courthouse): Hammond, Indiana – 14 percent;
First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis (House of Worship): Minneapolis, Minnesota – 14 percent;
St Mark’s Medical Center (Hospital): La Grange, Texas – 10 percent;
Norandex (Warehouse): Rochester, New York– 8 percent;
Kenan Residence Hall at UNC (Dorm): Chapel Hill, North Carolina – 3 percent; and,
The Colonnade Hotel (Hotel): Boston, Massachusetts – 2 percent.

In the first 6 months of the competition alone, teams representing 245 buildings around the country have saved more than $3.7 million on utility bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity used by 2,300 homes annually. Competitors measure and track their building’s monthly energy consumption using EPA’s Energy Star online energy tracking tool, Portfolio Manager. The building with the largest percentage reduction in energy use, adjusted for weather and the size of the building, will be recognized as the winner in November.

Competitors from 26 different types of commercial buildings across 33 states and the District of Columbia are utilizing social media applications to exchange ideas and strategies. Consumers can also go online to view details on the competitors in their region and find information about saving energy.