News & events : product campaign award

Press Release:

For Immediate Release
   Media Contacts:
   Julie Semancik / Tim Wirtz
   Hoffman York
   414-225-9568 / 414-225-9522
   jsemancik@hyc.com
   twirtz@hyc.com

Focus on Energy Wins Two National ENERGY STAR^® Awards
Products, Homes programs touted for helping residents save energy and environment

MADISON, Wis. (February 28, 2005) - Focus on Energy has been recognized as a national leader in the promotion and practice of energy efficiency. The state's energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative will receive two awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 15, 2005. The 2005 National Product Campaign Award and the Excellence in Home Improvement Award recognize Focus on Energy's ENERGY STAR Products and Home Performance with ENERGY STAR programs for their commitment to protecting the environment through energy efficiency. Both programs are also being acknowledged for their contributions toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"National recognition for what Focus on Energy is doing in Wisconsin to help the state's economy and its environment is rewarding," said Janet Brandt, program director for Focus on Energy's programs. "The ENERGY STAR Products and Home Performance with ENERGY STAR programs are just two of the excellent programs available to residents and businesses in the state and while we are very proud of this honor we also know there are many Wisconsinites who have not yet taken advantage of energy efficiency practices. It is imperative that we continue to educate residents and business owners about how the programs can help them."

Product Campaign Award
Focus on Energy's ENERGY STAR Products program is being honored for its leadership role in raising energy efficiency awareness in four ENERGY STAR seasonal product campaigns including the "Change a Light, Change the World" Campaign. The national campaign encourages Americans to replace their five most frequently used light fixtures, or the bulbs in them, with ones that have earned the ENERGY STAR, to save energy, money, and the environment.

The National Product Campaign Award is given to organizations that have done an outstanding job of leveraging ENERGY STAR's national product campaigns to educate consumers about the many benefits of making energy efficient product choices for the home. Award winners are selected from hundreds of organizations that participate in the national product campaigns initiated by the EPA and DOE.

Focus on Energy's 2004 "Change a Light, Change Wisconsin" campaign encouraged Wisconsinites to purchase CFLs in place of standard incandescent lighting. The campaign resulted in almost one million CFLs purchased statewide. Those bulbs alone will reduce the state's annual energy consumption by more than 33 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) - enough energy to light 3,321 homes for one year and reduce utility costs by more than $2.5 million.

Excellence in Home Improvement Award
Focus on Energy's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program is being honored for helping homeowners in the state make energy efficient upgrades and improvements that enhance home comfort while saving money on utility bills.

ENERGY STAR Awards are given to a variety of organizations to recognize their contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by promoting energy efficient home improvement efforts in their community. Award winners are selected from over 7,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

More than 3,000 evaluations have been completed since the program started in 2001, resulting in more than 2,300 whole-house projects being completed. Together, these improvements have saved residents more than $880,441 on their annual utility bills.

"ENERGY STAR's partnership with Focus on Energy demonstrates how local and national groups can work together to help consumers save money and the environment at the same time," said Kathleen Hogan, director of EPA's Climate Protection Partnerships Division. "Its programs are national leaders and we are fortunate to have Focus on Energy on the ENERGY STAR team."

About Focus on Energy
Focus on Energy is a public-private partnership offering energy information and services to energy utility customers throughout Wisconsin. The goals of this program are to encourage energy efficiency and use of renewable energy, enhance the environment and ensure the future supply of energy for Wisconsin. Since July 2001, the program has helped Wisconsin's businesses and residents cut their annual utility bills by more than $54 million - reducing their energy consumption by more than 572 million kilowatt-hours and more than 27 million therms of natural gas. For more information, call 800.762.7077 or visit focusonenergy.com.

About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce air pollution through increased energy efficiency. Today, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy, the ENERGY STAR program offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 7,000 organizations have become ENERGY STAR partners and are committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit energystar.gov.

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