by Brianna Crandall — August 1, 2011—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program announced on July 27 the top contenders at the midpoint of the 2011 National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. The list of top contenders identifies the leaders with the greatest percent reduction of energy use in each of the twelve building categories in the competition. EPA also provided an update on the progress of all participants as they continue to go head-to-head to save energy, reduce costs and protect Americans’ health and their environment.
In the first six months of the competition alone, teams representing 245 buildings around the country have saved more than $3.7 million on utility bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity used by 2,300 homes annually, says EPA. Competitors measure and track their building’s monthly energy consumption using EPA’s Energy Star online energy tracking tool, Portfolio Manager. The building with the largest percentage reduction in energy use, adjusted for weather and the size of the building, will be recognized as the winner in November.
The top contenders in each building category/percent energy reduction at the midpoint of the competition are:
- University of Central Florida Garage C (Other), Orlando, FL: 31%
- Scientific Instruments (Office), West Palm Beach, FL: 30%
- Jackson Creek Middle School (K-12 school), Bloomington, IN: 26%
- USE Credit Union (Bank), San Diego, CA: 20%
- North Suburban Medical Office Building (Medical Office), Thornton, CO: 18%
- Office Depot (Retail Store), Plano, TX: 17%
- Hammond U.S. Courthouse (Courthouse), Hammond, IN: 14%
- First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis (House of Worship), Minneapolis, MN: 14%
- St Mark’s Medical Center (Hospital), La Grange, TX: 10%
- Norandex (Warehouse), Rochester, NY: 8%
- Kenan Residence Hall at UNC (Dorm), Chapel Hill, NC: 3%
- The Colonnade Hotel (Hotel), Boston, MA: 2%
The competitors, which include 26 different types of commercial buildings across 33 states and the District of Columbia, are utilizing social media applications, including a live Twitter feed and a Facebook forum, to exchange ideas and strategies. Consumers can also go online to view details on the competitors in their region and find information about saving energy where they work, play and learn, notes EPA.
