NEEA earns award for protecting the environment through energy efficiency

PORTLAND, Ore., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) a 2010 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting our environment through energy efficiency. NEEA's accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 18, 2010.

NEEA, an ENERGY STAR partner since 1998, will be honored for its long-term commitment to energy efficiency. This is NEEA's seventh ENERGY STAR award for its exceptional market transformation work in the residential and commercial sectors:

Through comprehensive outreach, education and marketing efforts, NEEA has worked with its stakeholders and strategic market partners to increase market share for ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent bulbs, clothes washers, windows, new homes and commercial buildings across the Northwest. Overall, since 1997, the Northwest region has saved more than 264 average megawatts (aMW) through NEEA's market transformation work—the equivalent to powering more than 182,500 homes each year.

"For 12 years, NEEA has partnered with the ENERGY STAR program in order to drive market adoption of more energy-efficient products and business practices. Out of our partnership with ENERGY STAR has come real, lasting market change," said Claire Fulenwider, NEEA's Executive Director. "We view our ENERGY STAR partnership as crucial in improving the region's economy, and helping our citizens and businesses improve their efficiency, save money and help in the fight against climate change."

The 2010 Sustained Excellence Awards are given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year. These winners have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by setting and achieving aggressive goals, employing innovative approaches, and showing others what can be achieved through energy efficiency. These awards recognize ongoing leadership across the ENERGY STAR program including energy-efficient products, services, new homes and buildings in the commercial, industrial and public sectors. Award winners are selected from more than 17,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

"EPA is recognizing NEEA with our highest ENERGY STAR award – the 2010 Sustained Excellence Award," said Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation. "NEEA's continued leadership and commitment to energy efficiency is a testament to what we can accomplish to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect our global environment."

NEEA's work in the residential sector has led to widespread adoption of energy-efficient lighting and appliances. For example, today the Northwest sells four times as many compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) per capita than the national average. As of 2008, annual Northwest CFL sales topped 24 million bulbs, saving four billion kilowatt-hours and 5.8 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to removing more than 500,000 cars from the road. In addition, the Northwest has the highest ENERGY STAR new homes standard in the country and despite a downturn in the housing market, market share for ENERGY STAR homes in the Northwest has continued to grow.

In the commercial sector, NEEA's commercial building initiative, BetterBricks, has made significant strides in improving energy efficiency within the Northwest's real estate and healthcare markets. For example, since 2008, real estate firms representing 29 million square feet of office space in Seattle and Portland have benchmarked their energy use in a contest that partners with local chapters of the Building Owners and Managers Association using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Currently, hospitals representing 30 percent of the Northwest market now have clear energy management plans incorporated into their operations.

About NEEA

The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) is a private non-profit organization funded by Northwest utilities, the Energy Trust of Oregon and the Bonneville Power Administration. NEEA works in collaboration with its stakeholders and strategic market partners to accelerate the sustained market adoption of energy-efficient products, technologies and practices. NEEA's market transformation efforts address energy efficiency in homes, businesses and industry. For more information about NEEA, visit www.nwalliance.org.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 17,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

SOURCE Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

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RELATED LINKS
http://www.nwalliance.org/
http://www.energystar.gov/