by Rebecca Walker — March 18, 2009—Highmark Inc. announced that its energy conservation efforts in 2008, such as the installation of energy-efficient lighting and the reduction of lighting and heating and air conditioning usage, resulted in an average 5.6 percent reduce in energy consumption for the company and a savings of some $329,000 in energy costs.
“Making small changes to things like our lighting, cleaning hours and heating and air conditioning systems have resulted in significant savings of energy and dollars,” said Phyllis Barber, Highmark’s sustainability coordinator.
To conserve extra energy and show its commitment to the environment, Highmark’s Fifth Avenue Place, Penn Avenue Place and Center Street buildings will go dark for Earth Hour from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on March 28.
The Pittsburgh facilities of the health insurance provider operate some 12,000 lights, which will be turned off for the hour. Emergency lighting and lighting in occupied areas will be left on for the safety of employees, as well as retail patrons of Fifth Avenue Place. The Camp Hill facility has some 12,300 lights.
For more information, see the Highmark Inc. Web site.
