ENERGY STAR Challenge for Architects

The ENERGY STAR Challenge 2013 Race to Denver was a friendly competition among three U.S. regions — Wild West, Big Easy Central, and East Coast. This competition also featured both regional and national organizations encouraging A/E firms to submit projects that achieved Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR.

CONGRATULATIONS: The Big Easy Central Region Wins the 2013 Race to Denver

The Winner: The Big Easy Central region takes the gold for the third year with nearly 50 projects that achieved Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR, led by the A/E firm of CR Architecture + Design.

The retail and supermarket sectors dominated the Race to Denver, representing nearly 60 percent of all projects with many of the stores located in the Big Easy Central region. The Kroger Company had the most design projects with 36 food stores located throughout the country.

The Results: EPA applauds all of the A/E firms and building owners for helping EPA reduce CO₂ emissions by designing commercial buildings that will use less fossil fuel energy to operate sustainably and for their leadership in making the commitment to reduce their carbon footprint well into the future.

The ENERGY STAR Challenge 2013 Race to Denver

• More than 45 different A/E firms participated
• Nearly 100 projects achieved Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR
  • Comprising nearly 10 million total ft² of commercial building space
  • Potentially preventing an estimated 78,000 metric tons of CO2-e annually
  • These projects are estimated to reduce CO₂-e by 35 percent as compared to a median building
  • Saving an estimated $11 million in annual energy costs 

The Promoters: EPA thanks these organizations for promoting the 2013 Race to Denver by linking members and customers to the ENERGY STAR Challenge.

• Architecture 2030
• American Institute of Architects (AIA)
• Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI)
• District of Columbia – National Organization of Minority Architects (DCNOMA)
• Green Building Initiative (Green Globes)
• National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)
• NEEA/Better Bricks
• U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)

See all A/E firms and projects

What is Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR Certification?

EPA awards the Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR graphic for design projects that meet energy efficiency criteria. Architects and building owners can use the graphic on drawings and materials promoting energy efficiency associated with a design project.

Benefits for Architects, Building Owners, Commercial Investors, and Public Officials

• Easy and affordable to apply for the certification (no cost from EPA)
• Connects your project to the ENERGY STAR brand recognized by more than 80 percent of the American public
• Recognizes organizations for achieving energy efficiency during the design phase
• Documents design energy use for various disclosure initiatives and other rating systems
• Compares design energy target to the operating building performance

The ENERGY STAR Challenge Past Achievers

The ENERGY STAR Challenge is an ongoing initiative from EPA encouraging architects to design buildings that reduce the demand for fossil fuel energy and prevent greenhouse gas emissions. EPA features the architects and their projects on the ENERGY STAR website, in national trade publications, and at AIA National Conventions.

Read about previous years' challenges:
2013 Race to Denver
2012 Race to DC
2011 Race to New Orleans
2010 Race to Miami
2009 Race to San Francisco
2008 Race to Boston
2007 Race to San Antonio