The ENERGY STAR* Challenge:
Build a Better World 10% at a Time
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!
Whetheryou'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 percent or 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 how to 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.
ENERGY STAR® is a government-backed program helping businesses
and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.
LEARN MO RE AT
energystar.gov
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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 getinvolved.
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
Office of Air and Radiation
(6202J)EPA430-F-07-016
August 2007
Recycled/Recyclable- Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper
t-consumer Content)
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