City Hall Awarded 2012 ‘Energy Star’

For the second year in a row, Temple Terrace City Hall has received an Energy Star from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The building earned a rating of 75 for 2012, placing the building in the top 25 percent of similar existing buildings nationwide, the agency said in a City of Temple Terrace press release.

It’s a slight dip since last year when City Hall received a 2011 rating of 78, placing it in the top 23 percent.

Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone everyday with our free newsletter. Simple, fast, sign-up here.

The 2012 rating is still higher than where City Hall started in 2007, the year Temple Terrace began tracking its energy use with the EPA. The beginning baseline rating was below the qualification for Energy Star recognition at 60.

So, the city made energy-saving enhancements, such as lighting upgrades, occupancy sensors, ductwork repairs, cool roof decking, and heater and air-conditioning improvements, according to the release.

“In fact, the overall cost for the facility’s electrical usage dropped 29 percent in a five-year period,” the release states. “It is a tribute to the city’s efforts to conserve energy and be diligent stewards of taxpayers’ dollars, officials said.”

The ratings, on a scale of 1 to 100, provide a means of standardizing the energy efficiency of specific buildings against the performance measures of similar structures. If the ratings are at 75 or above, then the facility qualifies for Energy Star recognition.

According to the Energy Star website, the EPA introduced Energy Star in 1992 as a voluntary program to identify and promote energy-efficient products and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program first labeled computers and monitors, and over the years, it expanded to cover new homes and commercial and industrial buildings.

The 32,112-square-foot City Hall building was constructed in 1977 and houses several city departments and offices, as well as the City Council Chambers.

See also:
Energy Upgrades Reduce City Costs