WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program announced that Morrison Residence Hall at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) won the first EPA National Building Competition. The competition, launched in April 2010, challenged teams from 14 buildings across the country to measure their building’s energy use and reduce waste with help from the Energy Star program.

Morrison Residence Hall at UNC reduced its energy use by 35.7 percent in one year, saving more than $250,000 on its energy bills and reducing more than 730 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity use of nearly 90 homes for a year.

“The amazing results of the first-ever National Building Competition prove that any building can take simple steps to slash energy use, save thousands of dollars, and protect the environment,” said EPA administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Our top participants together saved nearly a million dollars by cutting energy use, and that’s just in the first year. We look forward to seeing even greater savings and energy innovations in the years ahead.”

The energy use of each building in the competition was monitored through EPA’s Energy Star online energy measurement and tracking tool, Portfolio Manager. Buildings were evaluated on the greatest percentage-based reduction in energy consumed by a building relative to its size and adjusted to account for changes in weather. Third-party utility statements were required at the conclusion of the competition to verify the energy performance of each competitor.

For more information, visit www.energystar.gov/buildingcontest.

Publication date: 12/06/2010