Energy Star contest seeks 'Biggest Loser' building
The competitive spirit can inspire people to do some pretty dumb things — competitive eating, anyone? — but it’s also proven to be a good motivator for better energy efficiency. So it’s cool to hear that teams from 245 buildings across the US will be competing against one another to see which ones can cut their energy consumption the most.
It’s all part of the 2011 National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings, which kicks off today. Organised by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program, the competition includes 26 different types of commercial buildings, such as retail stores, schools, hotels, and museums, some of which are more than 100 years old.
Among the contenders: the Manatee County Historical Courthouse in Bradenton, Florida; New York Hospital Queens in Flushing, New York; the Colonnade Hotel in Boston; Lakewood Church in Houston; Bloomington North and Bloomington South high schools in Bloomington, Indiana; 505 Union Station in Seattle; 55 West Monroe in Chicago; 8383 Wilshire in Beverly Hills; and the Golden Hill Office Centre in Lakewood, Colorado.
Nearly five million commercial buildings in the United States are responsible for about 20 per cent of both the nation’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The estimated price-tag for such waste and pollution? More than $100 billion a year.
“Battle of the Buildings” competitors will be able to exchange ideas and strategies through a live Twitter feed, Facebook forum and other social media applications. Information about all competitors, including photos and facts about each, will be featured on the competition website. The site will also feature tips and links to consumer-friendly information about saving energy.
Competitors will measure and track their building’s monthly energy consumption using EPA’s Energy Star online energy tracking tool, Portfolio Manager. Of the initial 245 competitors, a small group of buildings will be selected as finalists in July. The finalists will be required to submit Statements of Energy Performance (SEPs) on their utility data for the entire competition period, which must be signed and stamped by a professional engineer or licensed architect
The winning “Biggest Loser” — in terms of the largest percentage reduction in energy use — will be named in November.
