Oakland, Calif.—October 23, 2006 –The Port of Oakland headquarters located on 530 Water Street was just awarded the Energy Star label by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Department of Energy.
Energy Star is commonly recognized from products such as computers, refrigerators and other electrical equipment, however buildings can also earn this distinction as well. To achieve an Energy Star award, a facility must rank among the top 25% most energy efficient buildings in the market. Factors that affect scoring include building systems, hours of operation, regional climate, equipment scheduling, and monitoring the equipment.
“The Port takes seriously its responsibility to conserve energy and utilize resources more efficiently,” said Port Executive Director Jerry Bridges. “The Port receives almost 30% of its power from renewable resources. In addition, we have a well-established track record of supporting environmentally and socially responsible policies.”
The Port of Oakland is one of only eight buildings that have the Energy Star distinction within the City of Oakland. The other seven buildings are: The Oakland Federal Building, Elihu Harris State Building, The Rotunda, ACERA, Lake Merritt Tower, Trans Pacific Centre, and the University of California Office of the President.
The energy performance label is a comparison of a facility's energy performance to that of similar facilities around the US. The energy performance label shows a particular facility's energy performance on a scale of 1 to 100. The Port of Oakland headquarters scored an 81, which means that it ranked in the top 19% of EPA benchmarked facilities nationwide.
About the Port of Oakland
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport and 19 miles of waterfront. The Oakland seaport is the 4th busiest containerport in the U.S.; Oakland International Airport offers more than 200 daily non-stop flights to 41 domestic and international destinations; and the Port’s commercial real estate includes Jack London Square, Oakland's premier entertainment spot along the waterfront. The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and is an independent department of the City of Oakland. Web site: www.portofoakland.com.
About the Energy Star Program
Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy helping Americans save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Americans saved enough energy in 2005 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 23 million cars — all while saving $12 billion on their utility bills. Web site: www.energystar.gov.
Port of Oakland
Robert Bernado
Media / Public Relations Dept.
(510) 627-1401
rbernard@portoakland.com
