Vermont businesses raise the bar on energy efficiency
Rutland, VT
Governor Shumlin appeared with the leadership of Rutland Regional Medical Center and Efficiency Vermont today to help kick off the final year of a groundbreaking initiative that is challenging Vermont businesses to push the envelope on energy efficiency.
“As Vermont thinks about our energy future, we know that energy efficiency is going to play a critical role in helping to meet the ambitious goals we’ve set,” the Governor said. “The Energy Leadership Challenge - and the strong partnership it is helping further between large businesses such as Rutland Regional Medical Center and Efficiency Vermont - shows that investments in energy efficiency make good business sense. This is exactly the type of effort that will ensure our state continues to be a national leader on both energy efficiency and business innovation.”
Efficiency Vermont launched the Energy Leadership Challenge in the summer of 2011, in an effort to encourage the state’s largest electricity consumers to reduce their usage by 7.5% over two years. At this point, 69 businesses and institutions have signed on to the Challenge, and ten have already exceeded the energy reduction goal.
The effort builds on the impartial support and guidance that Efficiency Vermont offers all Vermonters who are seeking to reduce their energy usage. For large businesses and institutions, this approach includes a dedicated account manager who works directly with each customer to evaluate energy efficiency opportunities and help craft a customized approach to meeting their goals.
The result of this work, when combined with a sustained and robust commitment to sustainability on the part of Rutland Regional Medical Center leadership, is that the hospital is well on its way to meeting the Energy Leadership Challenge goal. “In every decision we make as an institution, it is important to us to be good stewards of the Rutland community,” said CEO Tom Huebner. “Investing in energy efficiency not only improves our bottom line, it also provides better comfort for our patients, reduces our environmental impact, and shows that we are making sustainability a priority.”
According to Jim Merriam, Director of Efficiency Vermont, businesses across the state have stepped up enthusiastically to meet the Challenge. “This initiative enabled us to increase our work with businesses and institutions that are committed to making smart investments that strengthen our state and their communities,” he said. “Rutland Regional Medical Center knows that reducing and stabilizing energy costs saves money and gives them a competitive edge. As we move into the final year of the Challenge, we will continue working closely with all the Challenge participants to realize deeper savings and engage employees. Ultimately, the real goal is to help them find thoughtful ways to build energy efficiency into their long-term business strategies.”
A full list of Energy Leadership Challenge participants can be found on Efficiency Vermont’s website: https://efficiencyvermont.com/
About Efficiency Vermont
As the nation’s first Energy Efficiency Utility, Efficiency Vermont has helped Vermont avoid over 13.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence award for the last eight consecutive years. Efficiency Vermont works with partners to help our state transition to more affordable, low carbon energy use through education, incentives, and support for our clean energy workforce. Learn more at www.efficiencyvermont.com.
Efficiency Vermont Press Contact
Matthew Smith
Phone: (802) 540-7662
[email protected]