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Renton Schools Earn EPA Energy Efficiency Award
Release Date: 5/28/2003
Contact Information: Bill Dunbar
dunbar.bill@epamail.epa.gov
(206) 553-1203
May 28, 2003
03-025
District efforts save $30,000 in utility costs, commits to achieving similar savings at its other schools
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that the Renton School District’s Bryn Mawr Elementary and McKnight Middle School have earned the agency’s prestigious ENERGY STARŪ Award for their efforts to make their buildings more energy efficient – and environmentally friendly. They are the first schools in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, or Washington to earn the award which the EPA gives to the most energy efficient buildings in the United States.
The two schools use about 40% less energy than the average school building and thus cost about 40% (or $30,000) less to heat, cool, and light than average school buildings.
The district has also joined the EPA’s ENERGY STARŪ Buildings Partners program which will allow the district to use the EPA’s integrated approach for reducing energy costs by systematically upgrading its schools’ energy efficiency.
Raymond Vogel, Resource Conservation Manger for the Renton School District, and Dan Thomas of Puget Sound Energy evaluated the two schools’ buildings for energy consumption, climate, square footage, building use and indoor air quality, a potential concern in efficient buildings. They then compared their finding to the criteria in the EPA’s ENERGY STARŪ Buildings program, and found that the buildings at the two schools compared favorably to the top 25 percent most efficient buildings in the country.
“We are excited to provide this award to the Renton School District,” said John Iani, EPA’s Regional Administrator in Seattle. “The district should be proud that two of its schools are the two first ENERGY STARŪ Award recipients in the Pacific Northwest.
“Now, as an ENERGY STARŪ Partner, the district is committing itself to similar improvements in energy efficiency at its other facilities, much greater cost savings, and protecting the environment.”
“McKnight and Bryn Mawr are excellent schools to represent the ENERGY STARŪ label,” said Cal Shirley, Puget Sound Energy director of energy-efficiency services. “This recognition is a tribute to how these schools are designed and managed. It also reflects on the school district's commitment to energy efficiency and hard work of their resource conservation manager.”
“Now, as an ENERGY STARŪ Partner, the district is committing itself to similar improvements in energy efficiency at its other facilities, much greater cost savings, and protecting the environment.”
To date, over 1,000 of the nation's most energy efficient buildings have earned EPA's ENERGY STARŪ designation for superior energy performance. Buildings receiving these awards use about 40 percent less energy than average buildings, without compromising comfort, indoor air quality, or services.
In 2002 alone, ENERGY STARŪ qualifying buildings spent $130 million less in energy bills and reduced carbon dioxide by 2.6 billion pounds compared to average buildings. Among the top performing buildings are 335 public schools; 339 properties owned by commercial real estate organizations and leased to commercial tenants; 240 owned-and-occupied by corporations, including offices, hotels and supermarkets; and 161 owned by federal, state or local governments.
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Contact: Bill Dunbar
206/553-1203
or
Robert Fallis
206/553-8293
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