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Administrator Whitman Commends Local Los Angeles Companies for Energy-Saving Partnership with EPA

Release Date: 3/25/2003
Contact Information: Mark Merchant, (415) 947-4297 or Lisa Harrison, (202) 564-4355

     LOS ANGELES   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman publicly commended two Los Angeles-area companies for their efforts to make corporate America more energy efficient and less dependent on the public energy grid through innovation and achievement during a trip to southern California today.

     Administrator Whitman and the EPA's Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest office, Wayne Nastri, toured a commercial building at 8383 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills. The property, owned by Arden Realty, houses a 600 kW on-site combined heat and power (CHP) generation system that is owned and operated by RealEnergy of Woodland Hills. This system not only provides more than half of the building's power but also more efficient cooling.

     The power units were built by RealEnergy and were installed in association with next>edge, a subsidiary of Arden Realty.

     During a ceremony after the tour, Whitman and Nastri welcomed Arden Realty and next>edge to the EPA's EnergyStar CHP Partnership and presented them with a Certificate of Partnership recognizing their commitment to promoting the environmental benefits of CHP. RealEnergy is a founding partner in this program.

     "Progressive companies in corporate America are answering the President's call to make the United States' energy policy a true public/private partnership," Whitman said. "RealEnergy and Arden Realty, with next>edge, are two companies that have found a way to make energy efficiency more than a token gesture. Their efforts have reduced pollution, lowered energy costs and have reduced their dependency on an aging energy grid."

     "The EPA has called upon our partners in business and industry both in California and nationally to take the initiative and find creative ways to reduce energy demand," said Regional Administrator Nastri. "RealEnergy has provided the solution and Arden has put it to use. Their partnership   not only with each other but also with the EPA   is one that I hope other companies will emulate."
 
     The EPA has also recognized RealEnergy and Arden under its CHP EnergyStar program for the RealEnergy system located in Arden's Oceangate Tower property in Long Beach. These certificates recognize the superior environmental performance of the project where a high-efficiency and low-polluting natural gas engine-based CHP system has been installed.

     "For the last four years, Arden has been dedicated to investing capital and human resources into increased energy efficiency, including our strategic partnership with the EPA's Energy Star and CHP programs. Our investment and energy partnerships not only benefit the environment, they provide direct returns on our financial investment to shareholders," said Victor J. Coleman, president and chief operating officer of Arden Realty.

     "Clean and efficient combined heat and power systems are the next step in providing a reliable and secure energy supply for our country. As evidenced by the broad group of commercial real estate property owners nationwide that are now supplying their buildings' power through RealEnergy systems, there is obvious growing agreement that CHP systems are providing solutions to the problems and concerns outlined in our National Energy Policy. We are pleased that government is acknowledging that having CHP at customers' sites is a prudent choice for customers, ratepayers and taxpayers," said RealEnergy Chairman Daniel Cashdan.

     For more information about CHP and EnergyStar, visit: https://www.epa.gov/chp/index.htm