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EPA Celebrates Award Winning Green Building Designs in Boston

Release Date: 05/15/2008
Contact Information: Dave Deegan, (617) 918-1017

(Boston, MA - May 15, 2008) Today, at the American Institute of Architects Convention (AIA) in Boston, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency unveiled the newest group of architecture projects to achieve Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR, the government’s mark of superior energy efficiency in building design. Forty-six new building designs from nineteen states earned the distinction in 2008, more than a forty percent increase from 2007. Five of these projects will take place in New England.

"These firms raise the bar for new construction across the region," said Robert Varney, regional administrator for EPA New England. "We appreciate the leadership of these architects and designers, and look forward to continued collaborations with area AIA chapters to support sustainable design in the region."

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 five projects in New England include:

Project	Location	Architects
Sheridan Communication & Technology Academy	New Haven, CT	Boroson Falconer LLC
Bishop Woods School	New Haven, CT	JCJ Architecture
South Station Office Tower	Boston, MA	Kendall Heaton Architects, Pelli Clark Pelli Architects
Christopher Columbus School	New Haven, CT	Svigals & Partners
Metropolitan Business Academy	New Haven, CT	The S/L/A/M Collaborative

In addition to five new projects in Connecticut and Massachusetts, Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR projects are also planned in 17 other states, including: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, 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.

More information:

- ENERGY STAR (energystar.gov)

- Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR (energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_bldg_design.new_bldg_design)

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