News Releases from Region 10
Nearly 400 Northwest Buildings Compete in EPAs Battle of the Buildings
(Seattle - July 28, 2015) Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched the 2015 Energy Star Battle of the Buildings and nearly 400 competitors in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska have joined in to reduce their energy and water use. In support of President Obama's Climate Action Plan, which calls for businesses to cut waste and become 20 percent more energy efficient by 2020, the competition targets wasted energy in commercial buildings and motivates organizations to improve energy efficiency, reduce harmful carbon pollution and save money.
"Congratulations to all of the competitors in this year's Battle of the Buildings," said Dennis McLerran, EPA Region 10 Administrator. "Every year competitors throughout the Northwest join the national challenge to reduce their water and energy usage. In this competition, everyone wins."
In the only coast-to-coast competition of its kind, dozens of different types of buildings face off in each year's Battle of the Buildings. The team challenge features groups of five or more buildings that will work together to reduce their collective energy use over the course of a year.
Competitors in Region 10 include:
- Alaska: 17 buildings including multiple facilities from the NOAA National Weather Service, Kroger and the U.S. General Services Administration.
- Idaho: 17 buildings including multiple facilities from the NOAA National Weather Service, Kroger and the U.S. General Services Administration.
- Oregon: 118 buildings including multiple locations of Kaiser Permanente, Kroger and the NOAA National Weather Service.
- Washington: 240 buildings including multiple Kroger locations, EnergyPrint, Union Bank and U.S. General Services Administration buildings.
Competitors measure and track their energy and water consumption online using EPA's Energy Star Portfolio Manager, which is a tool to measure and track energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The team and individual buildings with the largest percent reductions over a 12-month performance period will be declared winners. More than 1,000 buildings are competing in a special water reduction category and will work with EPA's WaterSense program to apply best practices for commercial building water management.
This is the sixth year EPA is hosting the Battle of the Buildings, and the competition and positive environmental impacts keep growing. Last year's competitors saved a combined total of more than two billion kBtus of energy and an estimated $50 million on utility bills. More than 60 buildings in the competition demonstrated energy use reductions of 20 percent or greater over the course of the year.
Commercial buildings in the United States are responsible for 17 percent of the nation's energy use and greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $175 billion annually. By improving the energy efficiency of the places Americans work, play, and learn, the competitors help save energy and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
ENERGY STAR is the simple choice for energy efficiency. For more than 20 years, people across America have looked to EPA's ENERGY STAR program for guidance on saving energy, saving money, and protecting the environment. Behind each blue label is a product, building, or home that is independently certified to use less energy and cause fewer of the emissions that contribute to climate change. Join the millions already making a difference at energystar.gov.
More information: EnergyStar Battle of the Buildings