Local Government Partner Newsletter Archive:
Summer 2005

In the Spotlight: Washington, DC, Passes New ENERGY STAR Legislation

The Washington, DC, City Council recently enacted the ENERGY STAR Efficiency Amendment Act of 2004, which requires government officials to procure ENERGY STAR qualified products. Passed on December 29, 2004, the new legislation amends the District of Columbia Procurement Practices Act of 1985.

"The ENERGY STAR requirement is across all agencies that are under the Mayor’s purview," said Tomaysa Sterling, Chief of the Environmental Sustainable Solutions Division of the DC Energy Office. A copy of the bill can be found on the Council of the District of Columbia Web site . The bill reads, in part, "In any solicitation by an agency for the purchase or lease of energy-using products, the agency shall include a specification that the products be Energy Star labeled; provided, that there are at least 3 manufacturers that produce products with the Energy Star label, and that there are at least 3 responsible vendors offering Energy Star labeled products."

Sterling said since the legislation was introduced, the DC Energy Office has scheduled several training sessions for government officials to help them implement ENERGY STAR purchasing District-wide. The sessions, offered by EPA, are teaching participants "how important ENERGY STAR is to the government," Sterling said, adding that the DC Energy Office "is working franticly to get ENERGY STAR purchasing implemented as quickly as possible" in the District of Columbia.

For more information contact LaKeisha Estep, Energy Program Specialist with the Environmental Sustainable Solutions Division of the DC Energy Office at (202) 671-1403; or Tomaysa Sterling, Chief of the Environmental Sustainable Solutions Division of the DC Energy Office at (202) 671-1405.

A Warm Welcome to Our New Local Government Partners!

• Ingham County, Michigan
• Century Center, Indiana
• Town of Plainville, Connecticut
• YWCA of San Diego County, California

EPA Issues ENERGY STAR Challenge

EPA recently challenged commercial and institutional building owners to improve energy efficiency by 10 percent or more to conserve energy, save money, and protect the environment. More than 20 states, groups, and businesses joined EPA to issue the ENERGY STAR Challenge on March 14, which calls on building owners to assess energy usage, set efficiency improvement goals of 10 percent or greater, and make cost-effective improvements. Key local government associations joining EPA to issue the ENERGY STAR Challenge include the National Association of Counties (NACo) and Public Technology Institute (PTI). For more information, visit the ENERGY STAR Challenge.

Portfolio Manager Updates

Portfolio Manager has two new features:

• Building Improvement Tracking: Portfolio Manager now offers the capability to assess and track improvements in both energy performance rating and annual energy intensity. This enhancement will enable you to compare energy performance from a baseline period to the current period, at the building level and portfolio wide.
• Multi-Facility Data Sharing: Portfolio Manager now allows you to share access to any and all facilities in your account in a single transaction, an enhancement to the ‘single-facility’ data sharing option that has been part of Portfolio Manager since January 2004. Through multi-facility data sharing, you can easily provide other Portfolio Manager users access to as many facilities in your account as you choose.

EPA’s List of the Most Energy-Efficient Buildings Is More Than 2,000

More than 2,000 of the nation’s most energy-efficient buildings have earned EPA’s ENERGY STAR, saving an estimated $200 million annually and preventing approximately 6 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the emissions from 500,000 vehicles. The buildings qualifying as ENERGY STAR use about 40 percent less energy than standard buildings while offering all the comfort and services expected by tenants and owners.

Among the top performing buildings are more than 400 public schools and 900 offices. Supermarkets, medical offices, hospitals, and hotels account for another 655 labeled buildings. ENERGY STAR qualified buildings can be found in every state and the District of Columbia. In 2004 alone, over 700 buildings earned the ENERGY STAR, the largest one year tally since the program began. The ENERGY STAR Qualified Buildings List (2.1MB) has more information on the more than 2,000 qualified buildings.

ENERGY STAR Networking Web Conferences

ENERGY STAR hosts monthly energy management networking Web conferences for partners. These networking opportunities take place on the third Wednesday of each month from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM, EST. As an ENERGY STAR Partner, you are invited to participate. Pre-registration is necessary and you will need a 56K modem (minimum) with a separate phone line. Upcoming conferences include:

• July 20, 2005: Green Power Primer
• August 17, 2005: About the ENERGY STAR Awards
• September 21, 2005: Carbon Trading, Climate Risk, & Energy Management

ENERGY STAR Training

Learn more about the useful tools and resources available from ENERGY STAR by joining a regularly scheduled Internet training session. You may also contact ENERGY STAR to arrange for a tailored presentation for your staff. To see the schedule and sign up, visit ENERGY STAR Training Sessions.

Help Us Keep Your Contact Information Up to Date

To provide useful and timely information, we ask that ENERGY STAR Partners update their organizational and contact information regularly. This includes address, contact person's (CEO/President, Communications Director, and/or ENERGY STAR primary contact) telephone and facsimile numbers or e-mail address. Please forward any new information to Susan Bailey. If you wish to be removed from the mailing list, please indicate this as well.