EPA recognizes BOMA with Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award

Washington, DC The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International the 2010 Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting our environment through energy efficiency. BOMA, first recognized with the Partner of the Year Award in 2007, is one of the only real estate associations to receive this honor for four consecutive years. BOMA's accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony on March 18th.

BOMA International, an Energy Star partner since 2005, will be honored for its long-term commitment to helping building owners and managers reduce energy use by promoting energy management practices through its overall Market Transformation Plan and 7-Point Challenge. The 7-Point Challenge aims to reduce energy consumption by 30% by 2012 across real estate portfolios, as measured against an average building measuring a 50 on the Energy Star benchmarking tool.

Since its launch in 2007, the 7-Point Challenge has been widely embraced throughout the marketplace, with more than 120 member companies and local associations representing more than two billion square feet of office space endorsing the challenge. Several cities and a county have also adopted the challenge, including Albuquerque, Denver, Orlando, Phoenix and Orange County, Fla.

Additionally, BOMA will be recognized for several other programs like the BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (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. BOMA built on BEEP's success with the development of the Sustainable Operations Series, a four-part Webinar series that teaches practical ways to implement sustainable building operations.

BOMA published one of the industry's first green lease guide, which includes enforceable lease language to ensure tenants comply with a building's green priorities. BOMA also partnered with the Clinton Climate Initiative to release the groundbreaking BOMA Energy Performance Contract (BEPC) model, which allows building owners to perform major energy retrofits to existing buildings by removing key barriers.

"We are honored to receive an Energy Star award for the fourth consecutive year," said BOMA International chair James Peck, RPA, FMA, senior director of asset services, CB Richard Ellis. "BOMA has a proven commitment to reducing energy consumption in commercial buildings, and this award is a testament to the efficacy of programs like the 7-Point Challenge and BEEP. We also congratulate our member companies who have been honored with 2010 Energy Star awards for their efforts."

The 2010 Sustained Excellence Awards are given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year. These winners have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by setting and achieving aggressive goals, employing innovative approaches, and showing others what can be achieved through energy efficiency. These awards recognize ongoing leadership across the Energy Star program including energy-efficient products, services, new homes and buildings in the commercial, industrial and public sectors. Award winners are selected from more than 17,000 organizations that participate in the Energy Star program.

"EPA is recognizing BOMA International with our highest ENERGY STAR award - the 2010 Sustained Excellence Award," said Gina McCarthy, EPA assistant administrator for air and radiation. "BOMA's continued leadership and commitment to energy efficiency is a testament to what we can accomplish to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect our global environment."

Last year alone Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved $17 billion on their energy bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 30 million vehicles.

Seven BOMA member companies are also being honored:

*CB Richard Ellis - Sustained Excellence Award;

*Hines - Sustained Excellence Award;

*Jones Lang LaSalle - Partner of the Year Award;

*Kennedy Associates - Partner of the Year Award;

*TIAA-CREF - Sustained Excellence Award;

*Transwestern - Sustained Excellence Award; and

*USAA Real Estate Company - Sustained Excellence Award.

BOMA International is an international federation of more than 100 local associations and affiliated organizations. Founded in 1907, its 17,000-plus members own or manage more than 9 billion s/f of commercial properties. BOMA International's mission is to enhance the human, intellectual and physical assets of the commercial real estate industry through advocacy, education, research, standards and information.

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 17,000 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.