LANSING – The Environmental Protection Agency has recognized the Anderson House Office Building, which houses the offices of the 110 members of the Michigan House of Representatives, with its third consecutive Energy Star award for superior energy efficiency. Improvements made to the building have saved taxpayers about $1.2 million, according to figures provided by the House Business Office.
"I commend Tim Bowlin, Jon Kelly and our dedicated building maintenance personnel for their hard work and diligence in using taxpayer dollars wisely," said House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford). "Especially in these tough economic times, we need to make sure we're using every dollar as efficiently as possible. Being more energy efficient is one of the most effective ways to save taxpayer money."
The Energy Star award is given to the top 25 percent of buildings nationwide that use an average of 40 percent less energy than standard buildings and release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The House Office Building maintenance staff has worked continuously over the past 10 years on a number of cost-saving measures, such as improvements to the building's air filtration and heating systems.
"We're proud to be recognized nationally with this honor for the third year in a row," said Jon Kelly, director of Facilities and Technical Services at the House Office Building. "We will continue to be proactive and work to cut costs and reduce energy consumption."
Tim Bowlin, director of the House Business Office, said: "The hard-working folks who make sure this building runs efficiently have done an outstanding job. If every state office building did its part to help conserve energy, we could achieve even greater savings for taxpayers."
More information about the Energy Star awards can be found at www.energystar.gov.