04/06/15 - ATLANTA, Georgia - The E.P.A. (EPA) and the D.O.E. (DOE) are honoring 128 businesses and organizations in 33 states, including 3 in the State of Tennessee, with the Energy Star's Partner of the Year award for their commitment to saving energy and protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements. Awardees are helping families save money by saving energy in innovative ways including working with utilities to offer rebates to customers, creating more efficient products, and launching efficiency projects.
In 2014 alone, Energy Star partners, including the 128 Partners of the Year awardees, prevented in excess of 300 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and reduced utility bills for Americans by $34 billion.
"Our Energy Star Partner of the Year award winners demonstrate that energy efficiency is a smart business decision that supports their bottom line, and helps their customers save money and energy," said
E.P.A. Administrator Gina McCarthy. "I congratulate our Energy Star Partners of the Year for their leadership and commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and taking action that will help us leave a healthier planet for future generations."
The awards will be presented in Washington, DC, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel on April 20th. E.P.A. Administrator McCarthy and Jim Gibbons, Goodwill Industries International President and CEO, will provide keynote remarks.
"Energy Star Partner of the Year Award winners are delivering advanced energy efficiency solutions that help American families and businesses save money by saving energy," said
Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. "Their efforts play an important role in protecting the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while also moving our nation closer to a clean energy future."
This year's awardees include manufacturers, retailers, public schools, hospitals, real estate companies, home builders and other businesses and organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses. Several organizations are first-time Energy Star Partner of the Year awardees.
Partner of the Year-Sustained Excellence
Affordable Housing
Habitat for Humanity, Nashville, Tennessee
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville is receiving ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year-Sustained Excellence recognition for its continued leadership in protecting the environment and providing truly affordable housing to low-income families through energy efficiency. The organization is providing affordable housing to low-income families through energy efficiency where monthly utility bills average $78 for a 1,200-square-foot ENERGY STAR certified home.
Partner of the Year- Sustained Excellence
Energy Management
Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, Tennessee
The Kingsport, Tennessee-based company is receiving ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year-Sustained Excellence recognition for the richness of its energy management plan and the continued growth of energy management across the organization. Eastman Chemical has improved energy intensity since 2008 by nearly 8 percent, avoiding $29 million in energy costs in 2014. It has also been pursuing innovative approaches for energy efficiency in manufacturing with an emphasis on energy efficiency in distillation systems.
Nissan North America, Incorporated Franklin, Tennessee
Nissan is receiving ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year-Sustained Excellence recognition for its continued energy management performance, improvement, and promotion of energy efficiency. The automaker has continuously improved U.S. enterprise energy efficiency by 13 percent over 2013 and by 35 percent since 2009. It has established internal best energy management practices such as requiring design engineers to evaluate new capital plans and equipment for energy impacts at inception.
See the full list of winners and read more about their achievements at:
www.energystar.gov/awardwinners
Energy Star has over 16,000 partners working to protect the environment through greater energy efficiency, including manufacturers, retailers, public schools, hospitals, real estate companies, and home builders.
Complete list of winners:
www.energystar.gov/awardwinners
*Denotes first-time Partner of the Year Award winners
Energy Star is the simple choice for energy efficiency. For in excess of 20 years, people across America have looked to EPA's Energy Star plan for guidance on how to save energy, save money, and protect the environment. Behind each blue label is a product, building, or home that is independently certified to use less energy and cause fewer of the emissions that contribute to climate change. Today, Energy Star is the most widely acknowledged symbol for energy efficiency in the world, helping families and businesses save $300 billion on utility bills, while reducing carbon pollution by 2 billion metric tons since 1992. Join the millions who are already making a difference at energystar.gov.
