Contact Information To take the ENERGY STAR Challenge or to access the ENERGY STAR Challenge Toolkit materials online, visitwww.energystar.gov/challenge. ENERGY STAR Program U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Mail Code 6202J Washington, DC 20460 For more information www.energystar.gov orcall1.888.STAR.YES (1.888.782.7937). United States Environmental Protection Agency &EHV Office of Air and Radiation (6202JIEPA430-F-07-016 August 2007 The ENERGY STAR Challenge: Build a Better World 10% at a Time Recycled/Recyclable- Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 50% Post-consumer Content) ENERGY STAR® is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. ------- Many of us are taking steps to improve the energy efficiency of our homes with ENERGY STAR qualified lighting, appliances, electronics, and heating and cooling systems. But what we may not realize is that the buildings in which we work, shop, play, and educate our children use about $200 billion worth of electricity and natural gas each year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that if the energy efficiency of commercial and industrial buildings in the U.S. improved 10 percent, Americans would save about $20 billion and reduce greenhouse gases equal to the emissions from about 30 million vehicles. You can join us and help reach this goal! When lights are left on and the heating and cooling system runs in an unoccupied commercial building, energy is wasted. When this happens, a power plant down the road burns fossil fuels to generate that energy and sends emissions into our environment. In fact, the energy used by commercial and industrial buildings in the United States is responsible for nearly 50 percent of our national emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. Thanks to the thousands of businesses and organizations that work with EPA's ENERGY STAR Program, we're already saving billions of dollars a year with strategic energy efficiency practices that reduce operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions without tradeoffs in performance or quality. But we're on a journey of continuous improvement — we can do more. Take the ENERGY STAR Challenge! Whether you're associated with a small school or a large corporation, a local government or a national association, a community hospital or a hotel group, a manufacturing plant or a retailer — you can be part of the ENERGY STAR Challenge and help improve the energy efficiency of America's commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percenter more. Challenge participants and their members are encouraged to: • Measure and track energy use. • Develop a plan for energy improvements. • Make energy efficiency upgrades. • Help spread the energy efficiency word to others. Now is the time to help build a better world and take many of the same steps atworkthatyou are taking at home to protect our environment. The ENERGY STAR Challenge Toolkit can show you how. Use the ENERGY STAR Challenge Toolkit to: • Help you get started on the path toward energy efficiency at work and at home. • Learn more about energy efficiency for specific building types and howto bring the ENERGY STAR Challenge to your community. • Access ENERGY STAR brochures, public service announcements, press releases, posters, event ideas, and templates to help spread the word about energy efficiency. TOOLKIT MATERIALS Get Started! • Quick Lists of ENERGY STAR Resources explain how to help improve energy efficiency in commercial and industrial buildings as well as at home. • Create a Challenge Team offers ideas on who can help create an organized effort in your building, town, school, or company to improve energy efficiency. • Bring the Challenge to Your Community provides a model for establishing a program or campaign to accelerate energy efficiency activities in your community. Learn More! • Did You Know? provides a summary of key energy efficiency points and information about the ENERGY STAR Challenge. • Fast Facts provide useful statistics to help understand the important role commercial and industrial buildings play in global climate change. • Work with Different Groups in the Community offers a series of fact sheets that provide information on energy use, energy efficiency opportunities, partnership possibilities, and key leverage points for major groups including: new and existing homes, commercial real estate, healthcare, education, hospitality, supermarkets, industry, small business, congregations, and local governments. • Grow with ENERGY STAR describes the different levels and benefits of participation with ENERGY STAR, beginning with taking the ENERGY STAR Challenge and moving beyond to Partner, earning the ENERGY STAR label. Leader, and then the pinnacle — Partner of the Year. Spread the Word! • ENERGY STAR InfoCards help consumers and businesses learn about energy efficiency and ENERGY STAR. • Sample News Releases for the media. • Sample Text provides copy for Web sites, e-mails, newsletters, and more to help you communicate with clients, constituents, employees, and business-to- business networks. • Energy Efficiency Presentation you can use to talk about energy efficiency and your involvement in the ENERGY STAR Challenge. • Celebrate with ENERGY STAR suggests events and ideas to promote the ENERGY STAR Challenge and celebrate energy efficiency. • Certificate of Participation announces your involvement in the ENERGY STAR Challenge and can be displayed to share the good news of your efforts with others. • Web Banners can be easily downloaded to use on Web sites. • Posters and other materials communicate energy efficiency messages and provide information on how to get involved. ------- |