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Colorado architects recognized for green building excellence

Release Date: 05/15/2008
Contact Information: Richard Mylott, 303 312-6654; Patty Crow, 303 312-6464

Designs for Fort Collins office building, Loveland bicycle shop among 46 award-winning projects nationwide

(Denver, Colo. - May 15, 2008) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized green building projects by Architecture West, LLC, and RB+B Architects, Inc., both of Fort Colllins, as among 46 architecture projects nationwide to achieve Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR, the government’s mark of superior energy efficiency in building design. The awards were presentation today at the American Institute of Architects Convention (AIA) in Boston.

“These firms are setting a new standard for energy and environmental performance in building and design,” said Patty Crow, of EPA's Energy Star program in Denver. "Their leadership and expertise is defining the next generation of green buildings in Colorado."

The Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR designation recognizes commercial building projects that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment through energy-efficient design. Nationally, this year’s 46 new projects are estimated to save 120 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions and $5 million in energy costs annually across eight million square feet.

The projects in Colorado include:

Project	Location	CO2 reductions v. average building	Approx. annual cost savings	Architects/Contact
Peloton Cycles	Loveland, Colo.	125 tons per year, 45% reduction	$9,000	Architecture West, LLC Steve Steinbicker, 970-207-0424
Seven Generations Office	Fort Collins, Colo.	108 tons per year, 56% reduction	$6,000	RB+B Architects, Inc. Matt Arabasz, 970-484-0117

In addition to three new projects in Colorado, Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR projects are also planned in 18 other states, including: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Since 2004, 94 building design projects representing a total of more than 13 million square feet of space have achieved Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR. Collectively, these projects were designed to prevent 178 million lbs/year of CO2 emissions, a 42 percent reduction over comparable existing buildings. The buildings have estimated energy cost savings of $6 million per year.

“ENERGY STAR is an important partner with the AIA in making buildings more energy efficient and reducing carbon emissions from the built environment,” said Paul Mendelsohn, AIA Vice President, Government and Community Relations. “The Energy Star Challenge for Architects is a great tool to help architects design energy-efficient buildings, meet the Institute's target for carbon neutral buildings by 2030, and improve their communities.”

Energy use in commercial buildings and manufacturing plants accounts for nearly half of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption nationwide. ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 50 different kinds of products, new homes and commercial and industrial buildings. Buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $16 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 27 million vehicles.

For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit: energystar.gov

For more information on Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR, visit energystar.gov/commercialbuildingdesign.