Tower Companies Installs Electric Charging Stations as Part of Maryland's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tower Companies today announced the installation of five electric vehicle-charging stations as part of Maryland's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (EVIP). Tower's EV stations are located in Silver Spring and Rockville – two on their 27-acre live-work-play community at The Blairs Shopping Center and one at Blair House; one each at their USGBC LEED® Platinum certified commercial office building, 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard, and LEED Silver certified, Tower Building, in Rockville. They are among the first to be installed in Montgomery County, marking Maryland's emergence as a national leader in electric vehicle (EV) readiness.

"Tower has installed EV charging stations on our properties in Maryland and will be installing EV stations at our commercial properties in Washington, DC to promote the use of electric vehicles and encourage green lifestyle choices as part of our TowerGreen Initiatives," stated David Borchardt, Chief Sustainability Officer, The Tower Companies.

Last June, the Maryland Energy Administration announced a $500,000 investment in electric vehicle infrastructure, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, in order to promote a cleaner, more efficient transportation system in Maryland. That investment fueled the construction of sixty-five charging stations throughout the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, providing the necessary infrastructure to allow electric vehicle owners to travel throughout the region with confidence. Of those sixty-five charging stations, fifty-five are being developed by the Baltimore Electric Vehicle Initiative (BEVI) in partnership with two Maryland-based companies: SemaConnect and Autoflex. The remaining ten stations will be developed by the City of Baltimore and located in various parking garages throughout the city.

BEVI has been working to prepare for electric vehicles since 2007, starting with progressive counties and cities in Maryland where sustainability and green economy initiatives are a priority. According to Jill Sorensen, Executive Director of BEVI, The Tower Companies was viewed as an important partner because they developed the Region's first USGBC LEED® Platinum commercial office building and are recognized industry leaders of LEED certified buildings and sustainable programs.

"Maryland has emerged as a national leader in advancing electric transportation, which promotes energy independence, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and saves consumers' money," remarked Maryland Energy Administration Director Malcolm Woolf. "While gas prices in Maryland hover around $4.00 per gallon, charging an electric vehicle costs the equivalent of about a dollar per gallon. For Maryland families, that means real savings each and every month."

For more information regarding Maryland's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program please visit the Maryland Energy Administration, or BEVI at www.b-evi.net

http://energy.maryland.gov/Transportation/documents/MDchargingforwardEVmap.pdf

For more information about our properties, please visit:

Blair House or The Blairs Shopping Center: http://www.blairapartments.com

2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard: http://www.toweroaks.com

The Tower Building: http://www.towerbuilding.com

For information regarding the cost of registering an electric vehicle:

SemaConnect: http://www.semaconnect.com

About The Tower Companies

The Tower Company is a closely held, award winning real estate Development Company founded in 1947, headquartered in Rockville, MD and recently named "2010 Awards of Excellence Development Company of the Year," by Multi Housing News for their corporate green initiatives and outreach. Tower has nine USGBC LEED® certified properties, is EPA certified carbon-neutral and a member of Climate Leaders, ENERGY STAR and Green Power Partnership programs. Tower has developed 4.5 million square feet of office buildings, office parks, 1,400 apartments, regional malls, residential communities, lifestyle centers, and hotels within the DC area. Of this total, one million square feet are sustainable buildings and another 2.5 million square feet are in the planning stages.

Media Contact: Elizabeth Oliver-Farrow
The Oliver Group, Inc.
202.494.1977

SOURCE The Tower Companies