Boeing and the City of Long Beach joined April 16 to celebrate the prestigious Energy Star certification of the aerospace company's Building 800 in Long Beach, Calif., by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
City and company officials unveiled a commemorative plaque at Building 800 in Boeing's Douglas Center to acknowledge reductions in annual energy consumption by 20 percent, natural gas by 60 percent and water by 25 percent. Building 800 is the second Boeing facility to receive Energy Star certification.
Energy Star is the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental protection.
"This award speaks to Boeing's commitment in reducing environmental impacts," said Ralph Sobon, Long Beach site leader for Boeing. "Our approach involves multiple initiatives that encourage employee involvement on a broad level to achieve our energy and resource conservation targets."
"These reductions in energy and water consumption are outstanding examples of the environmental stewardship that the Boeing team is demonstrating as a member of our community," said Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster. "This is great example of the commitment that we would like to encourage throughout the City of Long Beach."
To earn certification, Boeing took a number of actions including installation of new energy management and power monitoring systems, improvements to heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and controls, retrofit of lighting fixtures and exit signs, reflective window film and new electrostatic filters.
Boeing's Bay Area Boulevard building in Houston, was the company's first Energy Star certification in 2008.
Boeing has improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the organization through its "four walls" Conservation Initiative. Total energy use reductions in energy at Boeing's three Douglas Center buildings have reduced greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity use from 185 households (1,003 metric tons per year).
In 2009, American businesses, organizations and consumers with the help of Energy Star, saved about $17 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 30 million vehicles.
Boeing has been an Industrial Partner with Energy Star since 1997.
