Pittsburgh-based BNY Mellon has reached a new environmental sustainability milestone by earning U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star awards for 100 percent of its commercial real estate portfolio in downtown Pittsburgh.

The accomplishment applied to three separate buildings totaling 3.1 million square feet of Class A commercial office space within a three block area.

"Clear goals, excellent teamwork and a highly effective energy management program have resulted in this powerful new milestone in BNY Mellon's comprehensive sustainability strategy, thanks to the disciplined work of our entire sustainability team," said Vince Sands, chairman of BNY Mellon of Pennsylvania. "Energy Star” is the benchmark of the nation's energy conservation, so reducing the overall carbon footprint of our largest employee base, while also continuing to grow local employment, demonstrates leadership and commitment to the environment and our employees."

The U.S. EPA's Energy Star program was introduced in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Commercial buildings that earn the Energy Star label use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The EPA's national energy performance rating system provides a scale from one to 100, which helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide.

The Energy Star designation applies to BNY Mellon Center (1.25 million square feet), BNY Mellon Client Service Center (910,000 square feet) and 525 William Penn Place (940,000 square feet).

In addition to its downtown-based Energy Star properties, the company's processing center in Armstrong County was among the first-ever Energy Star-certified data centers in the EPA's Energy Star property registry.

In fact, the company's 39 facilities in the EPA's property registry have achieved a portfolio-wide average Energy Star rating of 75, with some BNY Mellon properties like its Everett, MA facility earning Energy Star for 11 years in a row.

To date, BNY Mellon has surpassed its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 10 percent by 2016, recording a 32 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2012 from its owned and controlled U.S. real estate portfolio since 2008.

Included on the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index, the company has also been recognized for sustainability leadership and operational efficiency by the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project).

Locally, BNY Mellon and its partners from Jones Lang LaSalle and Mechanical Operations Corporation have implemented a program of continuous improvement which supports the company's corporate-wide commitment to sustainability.

BNY Mellon is a charter member of the Pittsburgh 2030 District in which the region's commercial property owners and managers work collaboratively to attain sustainability targets and support the city's legacy as a national leader in green buildings.

According to the Pittsburgh 2030 District, buildings in the United States are responsible for up to 50 percent of domestic energy use, over 70 percent of electricity use, 40 percent of raw materials use and 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

For more information, visit the BNY Mellon website.

9/23/2013