THE INTERCHURCH CENTER Earns EPA’s ENERGY STAR
THE INTERCHURCH CENTER
Earns EPA’s ENERGY STAR® for Superior Energy Efficiency
April 2010. The Interchurch Center has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious ENERGY STAR, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. This signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency.
“The Interchurch Center is pleased to accept EPA’s ENERGY STAR in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” said Paula Mayo, President and Executive Director. "Through this achievement, we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship while also lowering our energy costs.”
Commercial buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The Interchurch Center improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to its building. The Interchurch Center has prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity use from 309 homes, or removing 486 cars from the road, or planting 65,000 trees.
EPA’s ENERGY STAR energy performance scale helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a 75 or higher on EPA’s 1-100 scale is eligible for the ENERGY STAR. Commercial buildings that can earn the ENERGY STAR include offices, bank branches, financial centers, retail stores, courthouses, hospitals, hotels, K-12 schools, medical offices, supermarkets, dormitories, houses of worship, and warehouses.
ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved nearly $17 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 30 million vehicles.
