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The City of Kansas City isn’t wasting energy.
Recently, the City Hall building earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR certification. To receive the honor, a building must perform in the 75th percentile nationwide for energy efficiency and meet strict energy efficiency levels set by the EPA.
As for City Hall, it received an energy efficiency score in the 92nd percentile, an impressive feat considering the building was constructed 75 years ago.
“This achievement demonstrates the city’s commitment to environmental stewardship while also lowering our energy costs,” said Mayor Pro Tem Cindy Circo.
Commercial buildings that earn EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
ENERGY STAR was introduced by the EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products as well as new homes and commercial and industrial buildings that meet strict energy efficiency specifications set by the EPA.
The city has improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically in not only City Hall, but at several city facilities. Last year, the city’s General Services Department completed an 18-month Energy Conservation Project that made sustainable changes and upgrades to city facilities that conserved energy, improved operations and saved money. At City Hall alone, energy consumption was reduced by 14 percent, or approximately $135,600 per year.
“Our Facility Management team has done an outstanding job in achieving this certification,” said Manager of Facilities Robert Rives. “Through our ability to measure, monitor and verify our energy use on a real-time basis, the team has been able to lower energy consumption and reduce our operational costs. This was a true team effort involving many persons, and we are very proud to obtain this certification as the building turns 75 years old.”
For more information about ENERGY STAR Certification for commercial buildings, visit www.energystar.gov/labeledbuildings.
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