The Villa Maria Academy in Erie was recognized with an Energy Star Program plaque this week from the Department of Environmental Protection for scoring near the top in a federal energy audit.

An Energy Star qualified school meets strict energy performance standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and uses less energy, is less expensive to operate, and causes fewer greenhouse gas emissions than its peers.

“DEP used a federal benchmarking program to conduct an energy survey at Villa Maria and found that the school is a top performer on a national scale,” said Kelly Burch, DEP Regional Director during the award presentation. “This is the first time that a school in northwestern Pennsylvania has achieved this designation. By taking this step and by being mindful of energy usage, Villa Maria is setting an example for students and providing a learning experience.”

Villa Maria first considered pursuing an Energy Star rating after a student proposed installing a green roof on the school. While the roof project has not yet materialized, Villa Maria Senior Project Coordinator Sr. Marianne Stuckert said interest in other green projects surged.

“With the Energy Star program acting as our springboard, we began looking for opportunities to save resources and energy in all parts of our school day,” said Sr. Stuckert. “We upgraded our lighting, installed recycling bins in our cafeteria, and began shipping our printer cartridges to a local company for recycling. And with every step, our students played a major role.”

In 2008, Villa Maria launched a student Environmental Club to create an opportunity for student environmental education and involvement in the school’s greening activities.

“It is really exciting to receive this award, especially considering the size of our school,” said Villa Maria Environmental Club member Katy Mioduszewski. “The Environmental Club is growing and this coming school year, we look forward to partnering with faculty and staff to find other opportunities for Villa Maria to become even more energy-wise.”

The Energy Star program was established in 1992 to help businesses reduce energy consumption through greater efficiency.

The Energy Star program helped Americans in 2008 to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 29 million cars while saving $19 billion on utility bills.

For more information on energy conservation, visit the Energy Star webpage.