The Green Building Initiative (GBI) recently announced the signing of a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ENERGY STAR, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy.
ENERGY STAR was established in 1992 by the EPA as a voluntary labeling program, with the goal of identifying and promoting energy-efficient product, homes and commercial and industrial buildings. Its mission is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help protect the environment through the promotion of superior energy performance in the commercial, industrial and institutional markets.
As part of the agreement, GBI will work with ENERGY STAR to:
Encourage GBI members to join the ENERGY STAR partnership;Measure and track the energy performance of facilities through the use of tools such as those offered by ENERGY STAR and the GBI, including the Green Globes™ environmental assessment and rating system;Develop and implement plans consistent with the ENERGY STAR Energy Management Guidelines and GBI/ANSI standard to achieve energy savings; andSupport the ENERGY STAR Challenge, a national call-to-action to help improve the energy efficiency of America’s commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more.
"We're thrilled to have the support of ENERGY STAR and believe this new partnership will benefit both organizations as we strive towards the common goal of a better built environment,” said Ward Hubbell, president of the GBI. "This agreement reflects the GBI’s commitment to encourage the mainstream building community to measure, track, and improve energy performance using established, practical tools like the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and Target Finder, which are both accessible via Green Globes.”
The partnership between the GBI and ENERGY STAR reflects a broad framework for the two organizations to enhance their working relationship while also supporting their individual efforts related to the common goal of building sustainability.
For more information about the GBI or the partnership with ENERGY STAR, visit www.thegbi.org .
