Michigan public educational facilities encouraged to pursue ENERGY STAR certification to help cut energy bills
uppermichiganssource.com, September 6, 2018
Michigan has more ENERGY STAR certified K-12 schools than any other state in the Midwest, and it plans to continue its leadership in the coming years by helping Michigan public educational facilities pursue this designation and cut energy bills in the process.
To help schools with the certification process, the Michigan Energy Office (MEO) today announced a program that will make funds available to Michigan public educational facilities in Michigan on a first-come, first-served basis.
“ENERGY STAR certification helps schools cut energy bills, keep more dollars in the classroom, and provide a cleaner and healthier learning environment,” says Anne Armstrong Cusack, executive director of the Michigan Agency for Energy, of which MEO is part. “It also offers schools a way to demonstrate their commitment to environmental leadership.
“This new program will help Michigan schools cut energy waste and keep the energy efficiency momentum going.”
ENERGY STAR certified buildings and plants meet strict energy performance standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They use less energy, are less expensive to operate, and cause fewer greenhouse gas emissions than their peers.
Specifically, to be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification, a building must earn an ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher, indicating that it performs better than at least 75 percent of similar buildings nationwide.
At the end of 2017, 479 K-12 schools in Michigan had earned ENERGY STAR certification, the most of any state in the Midwest region.
There are six schools in the Upper Peninsula that have received ENERGY STAR certification:
– Negaunee High School, 500 W. Arch St.
– Negaunee Middle School, 102 W. Case St.
– PLES & 7-12 Jr./Sr. High, 210 Lyons St. Baraga
– Houghton Elementary, 903 W. Jacker Ave.
– Houghton High School, 1603 Gundlach Rd.
– Lincoln Elementary School, 810 E. Fifth St. Sault Ste. Marie
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