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Small Business Award Winners | Special Awards

Small Business Award Winners:

Thomas Mott Homestead Bed & Breakfast

Patrick J. Schallert’s inn, the Thomas Mott Homestead Bed & Breakfast in Alburg, VT, is a beautifully restored pre-Civil War farmhouse sitting on Lake Champlain’s northern shore, at the mouth of the Missisquoi River. All of the interior and exterior walls were opened and filled with insulation, 39 double sliding glass doors were replaced with top quality windows, and the old electric baseboards used for heating were replaced with a continuous flow hot water system with a state-of-the-art boiler. Combine that with other improvements, the bed and breakfast is saving more than $10,000 annually in energy costs.

Ye Olde England Inne

Christopher Francis, President of Ye Olde England Inne in Stowe, VT, operates a beautiful English-style country house serving as a resort for honeymooners and adventurers who take advantage of the region’s excellent ski slopes. Mr. Francis has learned that saving money through energy efficiency is anything but quaint. Among other energy efficiency measures, the inn has installed a high-efficiency heating system, high-efficiency fluorescent lamps, occupancy sensors, and improved insulation. Mr. Francis says, “We have enjoyed hotel reservations being made because we are a ‘green’ hotel.“

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YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester

Rita Brown of YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester in White Plains, NY is devoted to serving her community. Slashing energy costs has allowed the organization to devote more funds toward their mission of service. The YWCA’s comprehensive energy efficiency plan involved installing a new 25-ton water-cooled, dual compressor screw chiller, installing variable air volume controls on the facility’s nine major air-handling systems, installing two oil-fired pool heaters that run independently of the facility’s main boilers, and a host of other energy-efficient retrofits. These changes give YWCA savings totaling $66,799.

A.O.K Body Shop

Ed Pollitt, the building manager of A.O.K. Body Shop in Philadelphia, PA, is a true believer when it comes to energy savings. In 1996, he planned to retrofit 8-ft. T-8 fluorescent lamps, but after joining the ENERGY STAR network, he learned that 4-ft. T-8 lamps were cheaper and more effective. Since then, he’s taken a number of steps to improve energy efficiency, including setting back thermostats, installing occupancy sensors, and fitting timers on boilers and water heaters. In 1999, Pollitt saved more than $11,000 in electricity and gas costs. That means the payback on the energy efficiency investments is less than one year.

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American Environmental Outfitters, Inc.

Jim Miller’s company, American Environmental Outfitters, Inc. in Taylor, PA, is a company that screen prints T-shirts and other products. They have lived up to their name because of its dedication to energy efficiency. The company built its new corporate office/production facility with energy conservation in mind. A high-efficiency HVAC system, high-efficiency lighting, and full building insulation are just a few of the means by which the company is saving an estimated $3,000 annually in energy costs.

British American Auto Care, Inc.

British American Auto Care and its President Brian England located in Columbia, MD, provides expert automobile services for some of the finest cars in the world. And when he built a new, custom designed state-of the-art, 13,500 square foot facility, he used that same dedication to quality to ensure the building was as energy efficient as possible. In addition to using high efficiency heating and air conditioning systems and highly efficient compact fluorescent lights, he designed the building to take advantage of the surroundings to use natural wind breaks and to use earth as an insulator. Mr. England says, “When building, make energy savings part of the equation.”

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C.W. Hines and Associates, Inc.

Carolyn C.W. Hines of C.W. Hines and Associates, a management consulting firm, from Newport News, VA knows the value of good management. She just applied their management skills to their energy costs and found that good planning equals lower energy costs. The firm took a number of carefully planned steps, installing new highly efficient heating and cooling systems, installing high-efficiency fan and pump motors and Variable-Speed Drives, insulating hot water tanks and piping, and retrofitting compact fluorescent lamps and electric ballasts. Their estimated total energy saving now is $2,000 annually.

Bestway

When Situl Vekaria of Bestway supermarket in Hemingway, SC decided to slash energy costs, he quickly found the “best way.” He converted an open freezer to an enclosed frozen food case and replaced standard fluorescent lighting with highly efficient metal halide lamp fixtures. In addition, Bestway saved energy by tuning up the store’s heating and cooling system and by insulating a hot water tank and piping. The total energy savings is $12,000 annually. That’s a 33 percent reduction in energy costs.

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Cape Canaveral Marine Services, Inc.

James B. Bell’s company, Cape Canaveral Marine Services, Inc. in Cape Canaveral, FL is in the business of manufacturing environmentally friendly products, so it’s no surprise that the company places a premium on energy efficiency. He recently completed a comprehensive energy efficiency plan that involved installing a new, high-efficiency air conditioning system, insulating hot water tanks and pipes, planting trees for shade, and installing high-efficiency lighting. Cape Canaveral’s environmentally friendly approach to energy efficiency has saved the company $15,000 annually in energy costs.

MicroMICR Corporation

Michael Axelrod, president of MicroMICR Corporation in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, has learned that taking energy efficiency measures reduces energy costs and improves employee morale. MicroMICR, a company that manufactures check encoding components for laser printers, recently installed new highly efficient air conditioning units and lights, new ceiling insulation, as well as other measures. The result? Employees are more comfortable and productive, and energy costs have dropped significantly.

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Pizza Hut of Gainesville

All eight of the Pizza Huts in Gainesville, FL., owned by Bill Stasiewicz, have learned that not only does good energy efficient lighting enhance good food, but it also can mean lower bills. All of the Gainesville Pizza Huts have been retrofitted with high-efficiency lighting, which, in addition to savings generated by building tune-ups, has led to a cost savings of more than $20,000 annually. Energy efficiency measures installed as part of the building tune-up include tightening up the building envelopes to prevent loss of heated or cooled air and the installation of 14 SEER HVAC systems. One of the Gainesville Pizza Huts achieved annual savings in energy costs of $2, 800. That’s amore

ENCAP L.L.C.

Michael Krysiak President of ENCAP in Green Bay, WI, runs a company that produces seeds encapsulated in a wrapping of fertilizer and mulch to help ensure that planters get the results they desire. The company’s energy efficiency efforts are encapsulated in this statement from Mr.Krysiak: “This is really an extension of our total quality management strategy and links our goals of business excellence with environmental excellence by creating the bridge through which we can support sustainable development while generating economic growth.” ENCAP’s energy efficiency efforts were installing new high-efficiency heating and air conditioning systems, establishing maintenance schedules, and installing high-efficiency lighting.

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Environmental Law & Policy Center

When Karen Lewis of the Environmental Law & Policy Center in Chicago, IL moved the office into an older, historic building, she decided that in keeping with its environmental philosophy she had to make changes to make the new office as energy efficient as possible. The Center, a non-profit environmental group that advocates the idea of environmental protection and economic development, installed a number of energy efficiency items. For example, she invested in a high efficiency lighting system; she purchased ENERGY STAR labeled computers, copy machines, printers, and other equipment; and she made sure that all the windows were all unobstructed, allowing sunlight to light as much of the office as possible. The Center is reaping the rewards of its environmental consciousness. Their environmental philosophy saves them $3,200 annually.

The Green Institute

The Green Institute (Minneapolis, MN) is an entrepreneurial environmental organization creating jobs, improving the quality of life, and enhancing the urban environment in inner city Minneapolis. When the Green Institute built a new building to use as headquarters and to house other environmentally-friendly organizations, it took full advantage of the energy efficiency and conservation technology currently available. The building uses a ground source heat pump system to heat and cool offices, a highly efficient energy recovery ventilator, a sophisticated energy management system, and an active daylight system, which includes a skylight with four mirrors that tracks the sun and reflects more light into the building. It’s estimated that this building uses just 55 percent of the energy required for a conventional building of the same size.

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McDonald’s Restaurant

Did somebody say Energy Efficiency? Terry Jaspers, owner of a McDonald’s Restaurant in West Chester, OH has decided that energy efficiency goes hand-in-hand with the production efficiency for which McDonald’s is famous. Jaspers replaced the existing rooftop HVAC units with high-efficiency HVAC systems. He installed energy-saving T-8 fluorescent lamps, and switched from electric to gas cookers. The result? A more comfortable environment for customers and workers, and lower energy bills for the restaurant.

Urban Option

LeRoy Harvey’s company, Urban Options, in East Lansing, MI offers guidance and services for managing homes and yards in more energy efficient, ecologically sound, and healthy ways. So it only makes sense that this non-profit organization would seek to make its own office as energy efficient as possible. By installing compact fluorescent lamps, T-8 fluorescent lamps, improved insulation, new high-efficiency heating system, and other measures, the organization has lowered its energy bills by an estimated $2,000 a year.

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Community Mercantile

Andy Lewis of Community Mercantile grocery store in Lawrence, KS learned that buying energy efficient equipment can slash energy costs. He replaced an old HVAC unit and an old refrigeration unit with new, highly efficient models. He replaced the store’s old lighting with new compact fluorescent lamps, and new window screens reduced cooling costs. Combined with other improvements, these energy efficient retrofits have reduced energy costs by an estimated $10,000 annually.

Eastdale Plaza

When Jack Tank, owner of the Eastdale Plaza Mall in Iowa City, IA looked for ways to reduce its energy bills, he came up with an well-organized shopping list of energy efficiency measures. The list entailed replacing the heating and air conditioning units with energy efficient models, he improved roof insulation, replaced 85 percent of the interior lights with energy efficient T-8 fluorescent lamps, as well as taking other conservation measures. With the shopping list complete, Eastdale Plaza is saving 30 percent off its annual energy costs.

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California Family Fitness Centers

Russ Kuhn runs eight California Family Fitness Centers in Carmichael, CA and throughout California. When the fitness centers decided to strengthen the energy efficiency fitness of two of their facilities, it quickly learned that exercising sound energy conservation measures helps ensure the company’s financial health. In both facilities, existing lighting and HVAC systems were replaced with high-efficiency fluorescent lighting and high-efficiency package HVAC systems. These improvements have trimmed more than $12,400 off the organization’s energy bills.

Interpress Technologies

Intrepress Technologies in Sacramento, CA produces printed cartons for butter, raisins, cups of soup, and other products. Recently, owner Rod Minor discovered how to produce energy savings. By replacing the mechanical cooling unit in its pressroom with Indirect-Direct cooling and by installing insulation with a radiant barrier backing, Intrepress has slashed its energy costs dramatically. In addition to the savings produced by installing energy efficient lighting and a new Ultra-violet curing system for its presses, Intrepress is saving a cool $42,000 a year in energy costs.

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La Paz Electronics International

La Paz Electronics, owned by Angela M. Ginn in San Diego, CA, provides computer equipment to its customers at a good value. So naturally it expects a good value on any energy efficiency equipment it purchases. By installing Sola Tube lighting, which directs sunlight through the company’s office space through clear tubes, the company has drastically cut its lighting costs. The company estimates that it is saving $500 annually in energy costs.

Laser & Skin Surgery Center

The Laser & Skin Surgery Center in Sacramento, CA is a leader in the testing and application of new laser technology, so it’s no surprise owner Suzanne Kilmer, MD, was eager to install other types of new technology — energy-efficient heating, cooling, and lighting. Dr. Kilmer replaced the old HVAC system with energy-efficient gas-fired package heating units and 12 SEER air conditioning units equipped with economizers and smart thermostats. Two 100-gallon water heaters, which exceeded the center’s needs, were replaced with a much smaller gas unit. Interior lighting was replaced with high-efficiency compact fluorescent lamps. Through its investment in cutting edge energy efficiency technology, the center is saving $6,000 annually in energy costs.

Special Awards

Hazon Cross-USA Jewish Environmental Bike Ride

In the first-ever Cross-USA Jewish Environmental Bike Ride, twelve cyclists, riding from Seattle, WA to Washington, DC to raise environmental awareness in Jewish and other faith communities, helped spread the word about ENERGY STAR for congregations. By handing out ENERGY STAR brochures at stops along their route, Hazon has helped faith-based organizations across the country learn how to save energy, which prevents pollution and saves money. The ride began in Seattle June 11th, and ended August 28th at the White House in Washington, DC after 11 weeks and over 3,600 miles. The parent organization of the bike ride project is Hazon (which means “vision” in Hebrew). The organization’s founder, Nigel Savage, was glad to have the opportunity to educate the people he met along the way about ENERGY STAR for congregations.

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