Virginia Beach Announces Partnership with EPA's Energy Star Program

Release Date:  Thursday, April 14, 2011  11:30 a.m.

The City of Virginia Beach today announced it has joined EPA's Energy Star program as an Energy Star partner. The city will work to improve energy efficiency and fight climate change through a strategic energy management program that will enhance the city's financial health and help preserve the environment for future generations.

"The City of Virginia Beach is pleased to become an Energy Star partner," Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr., said. "Through this partnership, we will demonstrate our commitment to environmental stewardship and lower our energy costs by improving the energy efficiency of the buildings we own and manage."

In partnership with Energy Star, the city will:

• Measure and track the energy performance of facilities.
• Develop and implement a plan consistent with the Energy Star guidelines to save energy.
• Spread the word about the importance of energy efficiency to our staff and community.
• Support the Energy Star Challenge, a national call-to-action to help improve the energy efficiency of America's commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more.
• Highlight our achievements with recognition offered through Energy Star.

The EPA introduced Energy Star in 1992 as a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the Energy Star label can be found on more than 60 kinds of products, as well as new homes and commercial and industrial buildings that meet energy-efficiency specifications set by the EPA. Last year, Americans saved $18 billion on their energy bills while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equal to those of 33 million vehicles.

For more information about the Energy Star program for commercial buildings, visit  www.energystar.gov/buildings. For more information about Virginia Beach's Energy Management Program, visit www.vbgov.com/energy.