April 30 2013, James Lane Air Conditioning and Plumbing has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR certification, which signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meets strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.
“Our company has always focused on leading by example,” said company spokesman, Clayton Lane. “We took a good hard look at our impact on the environment and electrical grid. Reducing energy consumption is something we talk about to all of our customers so it was very important that our renovations reflected that.”
Commercial buildings that earn EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. James Lane improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to its building.
“Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings is critical to protecting our environment, “ said Jean Lupinacci, Chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial & Industrial Branch. “From the boiler room to the board room, organizations are leading the way by making their buildings more efficient and earning EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification.”
“Over the last year we’ve been able to generate about 70,000 kWh of electricity to offset our use of 74,000. Essentially we are able to operate a 15,000 sq ft facility for less than half of the energy of an average American home,” explains Lane.
To earn the ENERGY STAR, James Lane took the following actions:
- Installed high efficiency air conditioning and heating systems
- Utilized advanced control system to hone HVAC performance
- Replaced office lighting with efficient T8 bulbs and ballast
- Added occupancy sensors throughout the office
- Installed 4,000 sq ft of solar panels
- Added recycle dumpster, and bins in each office.
- Implemented electronic dispatching and invoicing system
EPA’s ENERGY STAR energy performance scale helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a 75 or higher on EPA’s 1-100 scale may be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification. James Lane earned an impressive rating of 93, the highest in the area.
“We want to be the community leader in offering energy efficiency solutions. The Energy Star rating is another way to promote creating and implementing a sustainable operation business model,” said Lane.
