WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has challenged commercial and institutional building owners to improve energy efficiency by 10 percent or more to conserve energy, save money, and protect the environment. More than 20 states, groups, and businesses joined EPA to issue the Energy Star Challenge, which calls on building owners to assess energy usage, set efficiency improvement goals of 10 percent or greater, and make cost-effective improvements. EPA also honored 13 Energy Star Leaders - businesses, school districts, and health care institutions from across the country that have improved energy efficiency by implementing the Energy Star assessment and rating system.
"Improved energy efficiency provides one of the greatest opportunities for cost-effective reduction in pollution and greenhouse gases and improvement in energy security," said Jeff Holmstead, EPA assistant administrator of Air and Radiation. "Our Energy Star Leaders show that we're up to the challenge. With the Energy Star Challenge, we want to repeat and increase these successes at thousands of businesses and institutions across the country."