Today, EPA released an important update to ENERGY STAR's national energy performance scale methodology for hospitals. The updated performance scale will help hospitals better assess their energy performance and make more informed financial and investment decisions in order to cut costs and improve their energy efficiency.

Updated ENERGY STAR Scale for Hospitals

ENERGY STAR and the healthcare industry

EPA Press Relesase

Today EPA announced that the University of Central Florida (UCF) is the winner of EPA’s 2011 Energy Star National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. In its second year, the competition featured teams from 245 buildings across the country in a head-to-head battle to save energy, reduce costs, and protect people's health and the environment. UCF’s winning building was a parking garage on the university’s main campus where energy use was decreased by 63.2 percent. Together, competitors cut their energy costs by $5.2 million.

More information on the 2011 Energy Star National Building Competition

EPA Press Release

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing the first cookie and cracker bakeries to earn ENERGY STAR certification. The first thirteen ENERGY STAR certified bakeries are owned by Lance Private Brands, Richmond Baking of Indiana, Oak State Products, Bremner Food Group, and the Kellogg Company. Compared to average plants, these thirteen ENERGY STAR certified bakeries save 4.3 trillion Btus of energy, avoid nearly $24 million in utility bills, and prevent more than 85,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, equivalent to the emissions from more than 16,000 cars. Plants verified to be in the top twenty-five percent of performance nationwide may be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification.

·         More information about ENERGY STAR Cookie and Cracker Energy Performance Indicators

·         Find ENERGY STAR certified manufacturing plants across the U.S.

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR program launched the 2011 National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. Teams from 245 buildings around the country are going head-to-head to improve energy efficiency and determine who can reduce their energy use the most. Nearly five million commercial buildings in the United States are responsible for approximately 20 percent of both the nation’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion annually. Through energy efficiency improvements, competitors are working to save energy, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and protect the health of Americans.

EPA Press Release

Battle of the Buildings

Thousands of buildings across the country are saving energy while reducing harmful air pollutants and protecting the health of Americans with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program. EPA recognized 74 leading Energy Star organizations for their achievements in energy efficiency across their entire building portfolios in 2010, 50 of which were recognized as first time Energy Star Leaders. Through their commitment to superior energy management, these organizations together have prevented the equivalent of more than 460,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually and saved more than $100 million a year.

EPA Press Release

EPA is once again hosting a national competition among commercial buildings to save energy and fight climate change. Competitors will work off the waste through improvements in energy efficiency with help from EPA's ENERGY STAR program. More