2011 ENERGY STAR National Building Competition: Snapshot of Applicants

On May 2, 2011, EPA launched the 2011 ENERGY STAR National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. Building off the successes of last year's competition, teams from 245 buildings of all shapes and sizes from across the country will battle it out to see who can reduce their energy use the most.

EPA's Battle of the Buildings is designed to raise awareness among Americans that the buildings where we work, play, and learn are responsible for a significant portion of our overall energy use and greenhouse gas emissions—about 20 percent at a cost of more than $100 billion annually.
This year, the energy use (or "weight") of every competitor will be measured at the start of the competition and again at the midpoint when the field of 245 competitors will be narrowed down to a smaller group of 10 to 15 finalists. Among the finalists, the building that demonstrates the greatest percentage-based reduction in energy use intensity (EUI) will be declared the winner on November 2, 2011.

The 2011 competition includes a substantially expanded field of participants. This year's competitors include 26 different types of commercial buildings, such as retail stores, schools, hotels, and museums, and hail from 33 states and the District of Columbia. Eleven buildings are 100 years old or greater, the smallest building is just over 6,000 square feet, and 15 buildings cover more than 1 million square feet of floor space, with the largest totaling nearly 3 million square feet!

Follow along and watch this year's competitors battle it out at www.energystar.gov/battleofthebuildings. See how small actions can add up to big energy savings, and learn a few tips to use in your own building.