BOMA earns second consecutive Partner of the Year award for protecting the environment through energy efficiency
[Washington, D.C. - March 6, 2008] – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized BOMA International with a 2008 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award for Excellence in Program Delivery for its outstanding contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by promoting energy management in commercial buildings through the BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP), offered through the BOMA Foundation. BOMA International, the only real estate association to receive this honor, was first awarded the Partner of the Year award in 2007. BOMA’s achievement will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on April 1, 2008.
BOMA International, an ENERGY STAR partner since 2005, is being honored for helping building owners and managers reduce energy use by promoting energy management practices through BEEP, an innovative operational excellence program that teaches commercial real estate professionals how to reduce energy consumption and costs with proven no- and low-cost strategies for optimizing equipment, people and practices. To date, approximately 10,000 commercial real estate professionals have participated in the BEEP seminars.
“BOMA International’s leadership role in helping the commercial real estate industry improve energy efficiency is a response to an urgent fiscal and environmental need,” said BOMA International Chairman and Chief Elected Officer Brenna S. Walraven, RPA, CPM, executive managing director, national property management, USAA Real Estate Company. “We are honored to receive the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award for the second consecutive year and plan to continue leading the efforts on the business case for market transformation, including educating real estate professionals through BEEP, Energy Star tools and other programs on how reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a tremendous benefit to a the bottom line and is quickly becoming compulsory to stay competitive in the global marketplace.”
The Excellence in ENERGY STAR Program Delivery Awards are given to a variety of organizations to recognize their efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce pollution, resulting in significant cost savings. Award winners are selected from more than 9,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.
BEEP is part of BOMA’s overall Market Transformation Plan and 7-Point Challenge to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent by 2012 across real estate portfolios, as measured against an average building measuring a 50 on the ENERGY STAR® benchmarking tool. The 7-Point Challenge also asks property professionals to benchmark energy performance and water usage through ENERGY STAR.
Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved $16 billion on their energy bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 27 million vehicles.
“Partners such as BOMA International are raising the bar for energy efficiency, teaching customers that their decisions can make a difference,” said Robert J. Meyers, principal deputy assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air & Radiation. “BOMA International is doing an excellent job working with ENERGY STAR to transform the market for energy-efficient products, services and programs that help Americans save money and protect our environment.”
Five BOMA members Companies are also being honored:
USAA Real Estate Company and Transwestern were active participants in the creation of BEEP. CB Richard Ellis adopted BEEP in 2007 to help reduce energy consumption at its managed properties through increased employee education and training.
For more information on BOMA International’s BEEP program, visitwww.boma.org/TrainingAndEducation/BEEP/
Founded in 1907, the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International is an international federation of more than 100 local associations and affiliated organizations. The 17,000-plus members of BOMA International own or manage more than 9 billion square feet of commercial properties in North America and abroad. BOMA’s mission is to enhance the human, intellectual and physical assets of the commercial real estate industry through advocacy, education, research, standards and information. On the Web at www.boma.org.
About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 9,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).
For Further Information:
Laura Horsley, (202) 326-6315
lhorsley@boma.org
Maria Vargas, (202) 343-9178
vargas.maria@epa.gov