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New Haven Building Earns ENERGY STAR for Superior Energy Efficiency

Release Date: 10/29/2009
Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. – Oct. 29, 2009) – The Long Wharf Maritime Center in New Haven, Conn., has earned EPA’s prestigious ENERGY STAR, the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental protection. This designation signifies that the building’s energy performance rates in the top 25 percent of facilities nationwide.

The designation was given to Building 1 in the Long Wharf Maritime Center, which was built and is owned and managed by Fusco Corp.

“We at Fusco are thrilled to be recognized as a leader in superior energy. We accept EPA’s Energy Star in recognition of this great feat,” said Lynn Fusco, president of the company. “Through this achievement we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship. And our commitment does not stop here. Energy Start is a giant step toward Fusco's ultimate goal, LEED certification for existing commercial buildings, which we hope to achieve in 2010.”

Commercial buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Fusco improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to its buildings.

“By improving a building’s energy efficiency we also protect our environment and our natural resources,“ said Ira Leighton, acting regional administrator for EPA’s New England office. “Companies like Fusco that earn the ENERGY STAR are taking environmental responsibility into their own hands.”

The Long Wharf Maritime Center, Building 1, is a 15-story building with more than 415,000 square feet of commercial space. It was designed and built in 1984 with an eye towards efficient technology. This included solar control glazing systems, variable air volume distribution systems and a water cooling system that reduced the need for electrical refrigeration. Recent renovations include a lighting system retrofit and upgrades to the energy management system. These initiatives will help in the company’s pursuing a LEED certification. The company is also exploring wind power, solar and rain harvesting.

“We encourage our businesses in our city to follow the example Fusco has set here and strive for increased energy efficiency and green building,” said Mayor John DeStefano Jr, ”If we all do our part we can make New Haven a greener and cleaner place to live, work and play.”

EPA’s national energy performance rating system provides a 1-100 scale that helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a rating of 75 or higher is eligible for the ENERGY STAR. Commercial buildings that can earn the ENERGY STAR include offices, bank branches, financial centers, retail stores, courthouses, hospitals, hotels, K-12 schools, medical offices, supermarkets, dormitories, houses of worship, and warehouses.

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $19 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 29 million vehicles.

More information:

- ENERGY STAR program (www.energystar.gov)

- Long Wharf Maritime Center, call Jessica Mayorga, New Haven Director of Communications, at 203-946-7660.

- To calculate greenhouse gas emissions (www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html)

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