Give recognition
Recognition is a great way to motivate your members to take action and stand head-and-shoulders above their peers. When your members do a great job, it’s your job to take note and highlight it for others. Here are a few ways to make sure your members receive the recognition they deserve for leading their industry and protecting the environment.
Encourage members to apply for EPA recognition
EPA offers several different ways to earn recognition through ENERGY STAR, from ENERGY STAR certification for top-performing buildings to ENERGY STAR Awards for organization-wide achievements in saving energy. Promote these offerings to your membership, so they understand the opportunities to be acknowledged by the federal government’s flagship energy efficiency program.
Incorporate ENERGY STAR in your existing recognition
If you already have an awards program for members, add ENERGY STAR as a criteria to win or as a new category. For example, benchmarking in Portfolio Manager is a prerequisite of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International’s prestigious award program, The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY). The Philadelphia Mayor's Office of Sustainability launched an Energy Reduction Race that requires all participants to benchmark their energy performance using Portfolio Manager. The National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) honors several of its members each year with the Leader in the Light Award to recognize company-wide operations which generate significant improvement in energy efficiency and expense management.
You also add energy-related categories to your existing awards, such as most improved, best in class, or most innovative savings project.
Other ways to recognize success
In addition to a formal awards ceremony, there are many other ways to highlight successful practices.
- Hold a recognition or awareness event at buildings with notable achievements
- Work with members to issue internal and external communications about successes
- Issue a press release in conjunction with your members