WASHINGTON, DC – Cassidy Turley, a leading commercial real estate services provider in the U.S., announced today that 42 of its managed properties successfully crossed the finish line in EPA’s 2013 ENERGY STAR National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. In its fourth year, the competition featured buildings from across the country racing to improve energy efficiency, lower utility costs, and protect health and the environment. Together, more than 2,000 competitors cut energy costs by more than $20 million.
Fourth Walnut Centre, located in Cincinnati, placed 12th in the competition by reducing its energy use by 29.2% and preventing 1,745 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the course of 2013, equivalent to taking 367 cars off the road. Follow this link to download a photo of Fourth Walnut Centre.
Of the 42 Cassidy Turley managed properties that entered the competition, four were recognized for reducing annual energy consumption by greater than 20%. As a whole, competing Cassidy Turley managed properties reduced annual energy usage by an average of 3% and prevented almost 3,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the course of the year.
The winner of the competition was Claiborne Elementary in Baton Rouge, LA, which reduced its energy use by 46%.
From improvements in operations and maintenance to upgrades in equipment and technology, the competitors together reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 130,000 metric tons and saved more than $20 million on utility bills annually. The competitors also prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity used by nearly 18,000 homes per year.
“EPA’s ENERGY STAR National Building Competition helped us save energy, reduce operating costs and further deliver value to our clients,” said Katie Ross, Sustainability Project Manager at Cassidy Turley. “We are excited by the enthusiasm and commitment from our competing Cassidy Turley management teams and look forward to realizing further energy use reductions in the future.”
Cassidy Turley reduced energy use through a variety of strategies, including tenant engagement and training, lighting retrofits, energy auditing/commissioning, implementing customized energy conservation measures and improved monitoring of base building systems to ensure optimized building run times.
“The impressive results of the fourth-annual National Building Competition are proof positive that any building can take simple steps to improve the energy efficiency of the buildings where we all work, play and learn,” said Jean Lupinacci, chief of ENERGY STAR for commercial buildings and industrial plants. “All of the participants in the ENERGY STAR National Building Competition are finding more and more ways to cut energy use, saving thousands of dollars and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Congratulations to Cassidy Turley for helping to lead the way.”
The 2013 ENERGY STAR National Building Competition measured energy performance over the entire 2013 calendar year. Competitors tracked their building’s monthly energy consumption using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager®, EPA’s online energy and water measurement and tracking tool. Claiborne Elementary School won the competition by demonstrating the largest percentage reduction in energy use, adjusted for weather and the size of the building. The energy use reductions for each top finisher were verified by an independently licensed professional engineer or registered architect at the conclusion of the competition. Last year, Demarest Elementary School in Bloomfield, NJ, won the competition, reducing energy use by more than 52 percent.
Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. Thousands of businesses and organizations work with EPA’s ENERGY STAR program and are saving billions of dollars and preventing millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere each year.
About Cassidy Turley
Cassidy Turley is a leading commercial real estate services provider with more than 4,000 professionals in more than 60 offices nationwide. With headquarters in Washington, DC, the company represents a wide range of clients—from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, from local non-profits to major institutions. The firm completed transactions valued at $25.8 billion in 2013, manages approximately 400 million square feet on behalf of institutional, corporate and private clients and supports more than 24,000 domestic corporate services locations. Cassidy Turley serves owners, investors and tenants with a full spectrum of integrated commercial real estate services—including capital markets, tenant representation, corporate services, project leasing, property management, project and development services, and research and consulting. Cassidy Turley enhances its global service delivery outside North America through a partnership with GVA, giving clients access to commercial real estate professionals in 65 international markets. Please visit www.cassidyturley.com for more information about Cassidy Turley.
