WASHINGTON - Ten years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled a new initiative for energy efficiency in the commercial building marketplace - the first Energy Star building. To celebrate the program’s decade milestone, EPA has released the publication, Celebrating a Decade of Energy Star Buildings, which tells the history behind the Energy Star program and its development into a leading energy efficiency brand in the commercial marketplace. Buildings highlighted demonstrate the diversity of types of Energy Star buildings, including:

• The oldest building to earn the Energy Star: Cambridge Savings Bank in Cambridge, Mass.

• The tallest building to earn the Energy Star: Aon Center in Chicago.

• The largest building to earn the Energy Star: USAA McDermott Building in San Antonio.

• The first building to earn the Energy Star: Ridgehaven Green Building in San Diego.

Several buildings with notable tenants are also listed, including Amazon.com in Seattle; National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C.; and MTV in Santa Monica, Calif. Finally, a selection of case studies chronicles how the energy efficiency of different buildings improved with help from Energy Star.

The Energy Star is available for 13 types of commercial buildings, including retail stores, hotels, schools, supermarkets, and more. Nearly 9,000 buildings across the nation have earned the Energy Star for superior energy efficiency over the past decade and the numbers continue to increase. EPA said Energy Star buildings typically use 35 percent less energy and emit 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than average buildings.

To obtain Celebrating a Decade of Energy Star Buildings, go to www.energystar.gov/decade. To learn more about the Energy Star program for buildings and plants, visit www.energystar.gov/buildings.

Publication date: 12/28/2009