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Boston’s John Hancock Tower Tops New England’s ENERGY STAR Class of 2005

Release Date: 02/21/2006
Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. - Feb. 21, 2006) – One of the most prominent buildings in Boston’s skyline is now also a symbol of energy efficiency. Boston’s John Hancock Tower, an icon of modern architecture owned and managed by an affiliate of Beacon Capital Partners, LLC, has earned EPA’s ENERGY STAR Label for superior energy performance in 2005.

Beacon Capital Partners, LLC, also earned an Energy Star label for two other landmark buildings in the John Hancock Tower Complex in 2005 - buildings at 200 Berkeley and 197 Clarendon made significant energy efficiency improvements. These Boston architectural icons join a 2005 class of more than 880 buildings earning the ENERGY STAR Label nationwide – by far the largest group to receive the distinction since the program began in 1999.

“Beacon Capital Partners has shown that office buildings of different generations – whether modern or classic – can achieve high energy efficiency,” said EPA Regional Administrator Robert W. Varney. “Earning ENERGY STAR recognition means more than just our applause. It means these leaders have shown innovation, good management and a commitment to leading the way with a new generation of environmentally-preferable building management. They are showing that energy efficient buildings make great sense both for our environment and the bottom line.”

Designed by I.M. Pei and completed in 1976, the 2.2 million square foot John Hancock Tower, at more than 60 stories and 790 feet tall, is the tallest building in New England. It scored an impressive 77 out of 100 on ENERGY STAR’s national performance rating system. Together with
200 Berkeley and 197 Clarendon, the John Hancock Tower Complex comprises nearly 3.2 million square feet of space.

“Beacon Capital Partners is proud that the most identifiable building in New England is now also a symbol of energy efficiency,” said Jack Deary, Executive Vice President of Beacon Capital Partners Management, LLC. “By improving our energy performance we will also reduce operating costs on behalf of our tenants.”

Compared to similar buildings with average energy performance, EPA calculates that the John Hancock Tower used almost one-third less energy, saving more than $3.5 million dollars each year in energy bills. When a building uses less energy, it generates less pollution. Commercial buildings account for more than 17 percent of our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to EPA figures. EPA estimates that the John Hancock Tower avoided more than 30 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions in 2005, and conserved enough energy to power more than 1700 homes for a year.

ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping businesses and consumers protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. By partnering with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through ENERGY STAR, more than 7,000 private and public sector organizations, in 2004 alone, saved enough energy to power 24 million homes and avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 20 million cars – all while saving $10 billion.

Buildings earn the ENERGY STAR based on EPA’s energy performance rating system. These buildings must score a 75 or better (on a scale from 1-100) based on their actual energy use, and also meet industry standards for comfort and indoor air quality. The average score for ENERGY STAR labeled buildings in 2005 is 86.

For more information and a complete list of buildings and their locations, please visit http://www.energystar.gov/buildings .

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