Advantage IQ Receives EPA's 2011 ENERGY STAR® Sustained Excellence Award

SPOKANE, Wash., March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Advantage IQ, Inc., a leading provider of strategic energy management solutions and a subsidiary of Avista Corp. (NYSE: AVA), announced today that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Advantage IQ with a 2011 ENERGY STAR^® Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting our environment through energy efficiency. This is the fifth consecutive year Advantage IQ has achieved this recognition.

"This is a tremendous accomplishment for us," says Jeff Heggedahl, president and chief executive officer of Advantage IQ. "We are honored to be recognized for our partnership with our clients in their energy management efforts. Benchmarking is an essential element of strategic energy management. As a result of our automated integration with the EPA's Portfolio Manager, we helped clients earn the ENERGY STAR for 309 buildings in the past year and assisted 28 client buildings in improving their energy performance rating by 10 or more points.  These energy reduction efforts are instrumental in corporate sustainability initiatives and result in cost savings that positively impact the bottom-line. "

In 2010, Advantage IQ provided energy performance ratings to more than 38,000 buildings, an 11 percent increase over 2009. These 38,000 buildings represent approximately half of all buildings that are receiving automated benchmarking services. The firm continues to promote the importance of energy management through a variety of efforts including a monthly educational webinar series, "Energy Game Plan," that educates attendees on the fundamentals of energy management.

"Advantage IQ has earned EPA's highest ENERGY STAR award - the 2011 Sustained Excellence Award," said Elizabeth Craig, Acting Director of EPA's Office of Atmospheric Programs.  "Advantage IQ's long term leadership and commitment to energy efficiency demonstrates the types of accomplishments that we can all achieve in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting our global environment. We look forward to their continued partnership and leadership."

The 2011 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, and new homes and buildings in the commercial, industrial and public sectors. Award winners are selected from more than 12,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

About Advantage IQ

Advantage IQ partners with Fortune 1000 organizations to maximize business results by reducing energy and other facility expenses, managing risk, and improving environmental performance. These outcomes are achieved through performance reporting, energy supply management, carbon tracking, and expense management. Advantage IQ's patented systems provide online access to critical cost and consumption data, enabling informed strategic management. Advantage IQ collaborates with clients to process, measure, analyze, and improve resource administration in the key expense categories of energy, telecom, waste, and leasing. Advantage IQ is the primary non-regulated subsidiary of Avista Corp, NYSE: AVA. For more information about Advantage IQ, visit www.advantageiq.com or call 800-791-7564.

About Avista

Avista Corp. is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses.  Avista Utilities is our operating division that provides electric service to 359,000 customers and natural gas to 319,000 customers. Our service territory covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.5 million.  Avista's primary, non-regulated subsidiary is Advantage IQ.  Our stock is traded under the ticker symbol "AVA." For more information about Avista, please visit www.avistacorp.com.

About ENERGY STAR^®

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants associated with energy use. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 kinds of products as well as new homes and buildings. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved $18 billion on their utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas equivalent to those of 34 million cars. Products, homes and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR prevent emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the EPA.  For more information, go to energystar.gov.

SOURCE Advantage IQ, Inc.