EPA, DOE Recognize ACS Buildings for Energy Savings

ACS OFFICE BUILDINGS in Washington, D.C., recently received Energy Star certification from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. The Energy Star, a symbol that is perhaps most familiar to consumers of household appliances that use less energy, now adorns ACS headquarters on 16th Street and the Donald & Mildred Topp Othmer Building on M Street. ACS joins more than 4,000 buildings that have earned the recognition and represent more than 740 million sq ft nationwide.

“ACS is pleased to accept EPA’s Energy Star in recognition of our energy-efficiency efforts,” says Madeleine Jacobs, executive director and CEO. “Through this achievement we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship while also lowering our energy costs.”

The Energy Star indicates that ACS is using about 35% less energy than average buildings while still providing quality service and comfort to occupants. Organizations earn the Energy Star by using EPA’s national energy-performance rating system to generate energy-efficiency ratings for their buildings.

According to EPA, 2007 was the most successful year to date for the Energy Star program. As a result of the program, 40 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions were prevented in 2007 alone—equivalent to the annual emissions from 27 million vehicles. In addition, Energy Star buildings saved more than $16 billion on their utility bills. And ACS is realizing some of those savings. “Even though electricity rates keep going up, our building costs have remained pretty flat,” says Joanna K. Brosnan, head of the ACS facilities department, which is leading energy-efficiency efforts.