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Hartford’s St. Paul Travelers Campus Achieves ENERGY STAR Designation

Release Date: 10/06/2006
Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. - Oct. 6, 2006) – One of Hartford’s prominent insurance company facilities is now also noted as a cross-country symbol of energy efficiency. St. Paul Travelers’ two largest campuses – in Hartford, Conn., and St. Paul, Minn. – have been awarded the ENERGY STAR label for demonstrating superior energy performance.

“St. Paul Travelers has taken the notable step of upgrading two different facilities, thousands of miles from each other, to achieve high energy efficiency,” said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator for EPA’s New England office. “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.”

Compared to similar buildings with average energy performance, EPA calculates that the St. Paul Travelers building in Hartford used almost one-third less energy, saving $3 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 St. Paul Travelers building in Hartford avoided more than 20 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually - the equivalent of taking more than 2,100 cars off the road for one year - and conserved enough energy to power more than 1,200 homes for a year.

“Our commitment to sustainable business practices is making a difference,” said Joseph P. Lacher Jr., St. Paul Travelers Executive Vice President. “Today we have the distinct pleasure of unveiling our ENERGY STAR label for our campus here in Hartford. A similar event is happening simultaneously at our St. Paul, Minnesota, corporate offices where we also received the ENERGY STAR label. This designation from the EPA recognizes the efficiency we’ve achieved in energy consumption for our buildings.”

St. Paul Travelers achieved superior energy performance at its Hartford facility through a combination of technology upgrades and management improvements. These upgrades and improvements included:
- Efficient technologies in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), including: variable frequency drives on all motors, CO2 sensors for demand control ventilation, direct digital controls and variable air volume systems;
- Efficient HVAC management practices, including: optimal start and stop programs to start HVAC at the optimal time to reduce waste, night setback control to reduce building temperatures during non-business hours, and a steam trap maintenance program;
- Energy efficient lighting in offices, garage, and even the tower beacon light. Efficient lighting also included advanced dimmable controls, motion sensors, daylight harvesting; and
- Demand-limiting controls on non-critical electrical loads.

ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping businesses and consumers protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. By partnering with EPA 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.

Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy says, “Connecticut applauds the efforts of St. Paul Travelers to achieve high energy efficiency at its facilities in Hartford and St. Paul. This financial services company is making a major investment in our environment - and we know it will pay real dividends for the future. Connecticut has adopted an aggressive Climate Action Plan. We hope all companies will share our vision by seeking the ENERGY STAR rating to play an active role in addressing clean air and climate change issues.”

Consumers are encouraged to take advantage of energy efficiency savings in their homes as well. For example, one of the most simple but effective ways homeowners can save energy is to replace traditional light bulbs with new compact fluorescent light bulbs. These light bulbs deliver dramatic energy savings and are long-lasting.

More information:

Complete list of ENERGY STAR buildings and their locations (energystar.gov/buildings)

How individuals can make a difference (epa.gov/region1/changealight/index.html)

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