Buffalo Grove H.S. wins EPA distinction
Buffalo Grove High School has recently earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's prestigious ENERGY STAR, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. This signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency.
Ted Birren, BGHS Building and Grounds Supervisor, began work on the rigorous ENERGY STAR application for his school three years ago; Buffalo Grove is the first District 214 school to have been granted this award.
"Buffalo Grove High School is pleased to accept EPA's ENERGY STAR in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” Birren said. "Through this achievement, we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship, while also lowering our energy costs.”
Commercial buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Buffalo Grove High School improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to its building. The school has prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity use from 133 households for a year.
"Improving the energy efficiency of our nation's buildings is critical to protecting our environment, “ said Jean Lupinacci, Chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial and Industrial Branch. “From the boiler room to the board room, organizations are leading the way by making their buildings more efficient and earning EPA's ENERGY STAR."
EPA's ENERGY STAR energy performance scale helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a 75 or higher on EPA's 1-100 scale is eligible for the environmental impact recognition. Commercial buildings that can earn the ENERGY STAR include offices, bank branches, financial centers, retail stores, courthouses, hospitals, hotels, K-12 schools, medical offices, supermarkets, dormitories, houses of worship, and warehouses.
ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved nearly $17 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 30 million vehicles. For more information about ENERGY STAR visit www.energystar.gov/buildings.