The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy are honoring 149 businesses and organizations in 35 states for their commitment to saving energy and protecting the environment through superior energy-efficiency achievements. Recipients of the 2016 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award include BeazerHomes, The Home Depot and Verizon.
“This year’s Partner of the Year Award winners prove every day that saving money and protecting the environment go hand in hand,” says EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “From major household brands to school districts, these leaders deserve to be congratulated for their commitment to reducing carbon pollution and protecting our climate.”
“ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award winners help families, individuals and businesses become more energy efficient,” adds Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “By offering energy-efficient products, services, and programs, this year’s awardees continue to provide Americans with lower utility bills, new jobs and fewer greenhouse-gas emissions.”
Since its inception in 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners, including the 149 Partners of the Year awardees, have helped prevent a total of more than 2.4 billion metric tons of greenhouse-gas emissions. In 2014 alone, ENERGY STAR and its partners provided more than $11 billion in societal benefits by reducing damages from climate change.
Here’s how ENERGY STAR Partners of the Year are taking action:
- Atlanta-based Beazer Homes USA Inc. built more than 4,700 ENERGY STAR-certified homes in 2015 while saving more than 10,000 metric tons of carbon-dioxide-equivalent emissions, compared to standard homes. The company also employs innovative techniques to demonstrate the value of its ENERGY STAR homes.
- Pella, Iowa-based Pella Corp. continues to innovate by offering new ENERGY STAR-certified products that meet the newest program requirements, including options for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2015 and partnering with Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, Berkeley, Calif., to develop new automated shading technology. The company also earned ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry recognition for three different manufacturing facilities that improved building energy efficiency in excess of 10 percent.
- Folsom,Calif.-based Verizon certified 32 Verizon Wireless stores in 2015, for a total of 206 ENERGY STAR-certified buildings nationwide. Verizon also promotes energy-efficiency awareness among customers and employees as a pledge driver for Change the World with ENERGY STAR.
- Detroit-based General Motors Co. achieved a nearly 6 percent reduction in energy use at its U.S. manufacturing facilities compared to 2014. GM also has implemented a climate-protection strategy that drives energy management, low-carbon energy procurement and product design.
- Evans, Ga.-based Ivey Residential LLC built more than 140 ENERGY STAR-certified homes in 2015, saving homeowners more than $72,000 per year.
- El Segundo, Calif.-based DirecTV delivered more than 10 million ENERGY STAR-certified receivers in 2015—the highest level of efficiency among all pay-television boxes—saving customers 420 million kilowatt-hours and $55 million each year.
- Atlanta-based The Home Depot developed and implemented a new sales strategy that resulted in a significant increase in ENERGY STAR product sales and coordinated rebate offerings with local utilities for ENERGY STAR products that resulted in approximately $310 million in incentives for customers.
- Ft. Wright, Ky.-based Kenton County School District saved more than $1.4 million in avoided energy costs through the use of ENERGY STAR tools and resources in 2015. The district also expanded its student energy-efficiency internship program; the student interns track and report about energy performance for the school district and serve as energy captains at local JCPenney stores.