The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week recognized the City of Philadelphia for its expanding its commitment to environmental protection through energy efficiency in affordable housing construction projects.

By expanding its partnership in EPA’s ENERGY STAR program, the city continues to ensure that residents of new low and moderate-income housing will pay $200 to $400 a year less for utility bills because energy-efficient furnaces, water heaters, air conditioners, insulation, high-performance windows, and programmable thermostats will be installed. Affordable housing in Philadelphia will meet EPA’s strict guidelines for energy efficiency and earn the ENERGY STAR designation.

A home buyer or prospective tenant should look for the ENERGY STAR label to be prominently displayed on the circuit breaker box. The label indicates that the homes have been independently verified to earn the ENERGY STAR designation.

In addition to the financial savings for residents, Arnold added, the city is also helping to reduce air pollution associated with the burning of fossil fuels to operate homes.

Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy to power 20 million homes and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 19 million cars, while saving $8 billion in energy costs.

The City of Philadelphia is no stranger to the ENERGY STAR program and actually joined the program in 1992 when it was known as Green Lights. In 1995 the City of Philadelphia won an ENERGY STAR national award as the City Partner of the Year.

And late last year, the city joined the ENERGY STAR Million Monitor Drive, which places computers into low-power sleep mode when not in use. The city’s new ENERGY STAR standards will affect all new low and moderate-income housing construction that involves city funding

NewsClip: Philadelphia Honored for Energy Leadership

12/17/2004