WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program has come a long way since it was first introduced in 1992. Then, it was a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Today, Energy Star is far more and hoteliers can benefit directly in many different ways. Here are some of those ways:
• By purchasing products with the Energy Star label, hotel operators can save thousands of dollars in energy costs each year. The Energy Star label is currently on products in more than 40 product categories. Some of these categories include Appliances, Heating & Cooling, Lighting, Electronics, Commercial Products, and more. Energy Star qualified compact fluorescents, for example, use 66 percent less energy than an incandescent and last up to 10 times longer.
• By participating in the Energy Star partnership program. The partnership offers a proven energy management strategy that helps in measuring current energy performance, setting goals, tracking savings and rewarding improvements. Marriott International Inc. was recently named 2006 Energy Star Partner of the Year for implementing programs that save more than 83 million kilowatt-hours of electric energy consumption annually. More than 7,000 organizations have become Energy Star partners.
• At the Energy Star website, a list of tools and resources is available to assist a hotel owner and/or operator. Documents range from those discussing the importance of forming an energy team, to ones describing how to qualify a building for the Energy Star program. Hoteliers also can compare the energy efficiency of their properties with others across the United States.
• Also at the Energy Star website, there is a list of experts and engineers who can be contacted for assistance in pursuing Energy Star status.
Energy Star is the national symbol for protecting the environment through energy efficiency and is recognized by more than half of all U.S. households. Hotels that rate 75 or higher when using Energy Star’s rating system can display the Energy Star at the property.
Based on the success of thousands of Energy Star partners, EPA has developed a proven strategy for energy management. By following these guidelines, a company can take control of its energy costs, improve its bottom line and help protect the environment.
For more information about Energy Star, visit www.energystar.gov or call 1-888-782-7937.
