STATE ENERGY OFFICE OFFERS ENERGY STAR HELP FOR HOTELS AND HOSPITALITY FACILITIES

For Immediate Release: December 10, 2010

HONOLULU–Hotels and other hospitality industry facilities can now become official ENERGY STAR-labeled buildings with the help of a new program offered by the Energy Office of the State Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT). Buildings achieving an ENERGY STAR label are in the top 25 percent nationwide in energy efficiency performance. DBEDT has contracted with The Chong Group, LLC, to provide building owners and facility managers with technical assistance in applying for the ENERGY STAR Building label that has become a selling point for visitors interested in staying in “green”-certified facilities.

“ENERGY STAR building owners have found that by implementing water- and energy-saving improvements, utility costs can be reduced by 10 to 30 percent without sacrificing service, quality, style, or comfort,” said Ted Peck, administrator for the State Energy Office. “We want to help Hawaii’s visitor industry become ENERGY STAR certified. Aside from saving energy and money, this will give us a competitive edge especially with the growing number of eco-conscious travelers.” Hotels in Hawaii have received inquiries from travel advisors who are responding to clients interested in staying at ENERGY STAR-labeled properties.

Property owners and managers interested in applying for the ENERGY STAR Building label can contact The Chong Group by email [email protected], or telephone (808) 791-9855 by the initial deadline of December 31, 2010.

The Chong Group will provide third-party verification required for each application, and submit the verification to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which administers the ENERGY STAR program. For facilities that qualify for the verification phase of the program, a $500 fee is required, with State funding covering the bulk of the cost for benchmarking, verification, and application to EPA.

Applicants most likely to qualify for eligibility for ENERGY STAR include the following characteristics:
1. Facility recently earned the ENERGY STAR award/certification.
2. Air conditioning system has been upgraded in the past seven years.
3. Lighting system has been upgraded in the past seven years.
4. Water heating system has been upgraded in the past five years.
5. Guestrooms have been renovated in the past five years.
6. Lobby has been renovated in the past five years.
7. All energy sources (electricity, gas, diesel, etc.) to the facility are metered.

The ENERGY STAR Building program supports the State’s Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, which sets a 70 percent clean energy goal by the year 2030: 30 percent from energy efficiency and 40 percent from renewable energy. Energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective approaches for a hotel to reduce its energy costs as well as its carbon footprint. Buildings eligible for ENERGY STAR label include hotels, bank branches, supermarkets, residence halls, dormitories, retail buildings, data centers, hospitals, houses of worship, K-12 schools, medical office buildings, office buildings, and warehouse buildings.

For more information on the ENERGY STAR Building program, visit the website at www.energystar.gov.

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For more information, contact:

Richard Lim
Interim Director, DBEDT
Phone: (808) 586-2355

Ted Peck
State Energy Administrator
Phone: (808) 587-3812

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