All News Releases By Date

Pittsburgh School District Recognized for Energy Conservation Through EPA’s ENERGY STAR Program

Release Date: 7/13/2005
Contact Information: Donna Heron, (215) 814-5113

Donna Heron, (215) 814-5113

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) have recognized the Pittsburgh School District for its leadership role in reducing pollution by participating in the ENERGY STAR program.

A certificate of appreciation was presented to Kenneth P. Frazier, Pittsburgh School District’s energy management coordinator, at a joint EPA and PADEP ENERGY STAR workshop for school districts held today in Pittsburgh. At the one-day workshop, representatives from school districts throughout Pennsylvania learned about the tools and resources available for reducing energy consumption and costs in school buildings.

In accepting the honor, Frazier said, “The Pittsburgh School District is always looking for ways to reduce energy costs and improve the efficient operation of our schools. We are very proud of our partnership with the EPA.”

The Pittsburgh Board of Education approved the ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement between the Pittsburgh Public Schools and EPA’s ENERGY STAR Program on May 26, 2004. This agreement is a natural next step for the school district, which began its energy conservation program in 1987.

ENERGY STAR is a government/industry partnership that offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions, helping them save money and develop energy-savings habits that protect the environment. The partnership requires that the district track and maintain energy performance data and develop and implement a plan to reduce energy intensity across facilities and operations.

Increasing energy efficiency is an important way to reduce the import of foreign oil and save billions of dollars while preserving natural resources, cleaning the air and protecting the planet for future generations.

“By partnering with EPA, school districts, like the Pittsburgh Public Schools, are realizing that they can reduce energy costs while protecting the environment,” said EPA Regional Administrator Donald S. Welsh. “The EPA is pleased to recognize the Pittsburgh Public Schools for their commitment to environmental leadership through superior energy performance.”

By following the example of school districts in Milwaukee, Philadelphia and San Diego, the potential exists for the Pittsburgh School District to save in excess of one million dollars in energy costs by conducting an energy evaluation of every one of its 97 school buildings.

When fossil fuels like coal, oil or natural gas are burned to generate electricity, emissions such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are released into the environment. These emissions contribute to smog and acid rain. Energy-efficient technologies reduce the amount of energy needed to power a building, resulting in cleaner air.

Introduced in 1992, ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping businesses, governments, and individuals protect the environment and save money vby improving energy efficiency. More than 12,000 organizations have partnered with EPA. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy to power 20 million homes, prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 18 million cars while saving $9 billion on their energy bills.

For more information on ENERGY STAR and how to prevent pollution through energy efficiency, visit EPA’s website at www.energystar.gov. Or call Region III’s ENERGY STAR Program Manager Mindee Osno at 215-814-2074.