WASHINGTON, D.C., June 20, 2007 - /Alliance to Save Energy/ --  The Alliance to Save Energy’s 2007 “Stars of Energy Efficiency” are a real estate services and management firm; a home improvement retail powerhouse; a seminal innovator of energy and lighting technology; an association of utility regulatory commissioners; and an international energy research agency.

The awards will be presented at the 15th annual Evening with the Stars of Energy Efficiency Awards Dinner on Thursday, September 20 at the historic Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C.

“The Alliance to Save Energy commends the immense contributions to energy efficiency made by this year’s award recipients,” said Alliance President Kateri Callahan. “Their leadership, innovation, and unflagging dedication truly make them ‘Stars of Energy Efficiency.’”

Recipients of the prestigious Alliance awards will include:

Jones Lang LaSalle : Alliance Board Chair Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) will present this year’sChairman’s Award to Colin Dyer, chief executive officer of Jones Lang LaSalle, to honor the real estate services and investment management firm’s commitment to energy-efficiency, which the company has made a cornerstone of its extensive international real estate management practice. In 2006, Jones Lang LaSalle developed an Energy Management Program that helped decrease greenhouse gas emissions of participating properties by 89,856 tons and resulted in savings of $33 million in energy-related utility costs. Additionally, the company has established a policy mandating that all client facilities it manages must follow the recommended energy management practices of the federal government’s ENERGY STAR Program. Jones Lang LaSalle also provided energy training to 500 chief engineers and recognized exemplary performance in energy management at its Annual Engineering Conference. And by establishing an Environmental Sustainability Board comprised of senior management from around the world, CEO Dyer ensures that the company maintains a unified focus on environmental quality.

The Home Depot: In 2006, The Home Deport exceeded an ambitious goal and sold more than 82.5 million ENERGY STAR units and products, an increase of nearly 30 percent from 2005. The company also committed nearly $0.5 billion to market energy efficiency through advertising and in-store promotions, helping customers achieve annual energy savings of $310 million in gas and electric costs, 2.9 million kilowatt hours, and 2.02 billion gallons of water, as well as avoiding 46.5 billion pounds of carbon emissions. Over the past year, The Home Depot also has launched a variety of campaigns that increased public awareness about energy-efficiency, the ENERGY STAR label, and other energy-efficient products for the home. In addition, The Home Depot demonstrated energy efficiency in its stores by improving lighting systems and using energy-efficient LED signs and HVAC units. In related areas, The Home Depot Foundation encourages housing developers to focus on the health and environmental impacts of energy-efficient housing, rather than simply addressing issues of affordability; and the post-Hurricane Katrina “Shelter from the Storm” campaign has provided training expos and clinics for those affected by the hurricane. The Home Depot also was named the 2007 ENERGY STAR Retail Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Orion Energy Systems: Orion is a recognized industry leader in product innovation and integrated manufacturing, producing lighting systems and controls for use in industrial, retail, commercial, institutional, agricultural, and hospitality environments. In 2001, Orion Energy Systems revolutionized the industry with a high-intensity fluorescent technology platform called the Illuminator, which uses half the energy of traditional High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting systems and provides significantly more light. Adopted by more than 75 of the Fortune 500 companies, this platform has saved customers more than $185 million in energy costs. The company now holds 15 patents on its energy-efficient systems and product enhancements. In the last year, Orion’s energy-efficient systems helped its customers save more than $37 million in energy costs and 600 million kilowatt hours.

National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC): NARUC’s long established dedication to energy efficiency is illustrated through its standing committee on Energy Resources and the Environment, whose goals include developing market structures and regulatory frameworks that promote energy efficiency. In 2006 and prior years, NARUC adopted several resolutions encouraging state and federal regulatory commissions to implement innovative rate designs, including energy-efficiency tariffs and decoupling tariffs, to promote energy efficiency and conservation. NARUC’s leadership on energy-efficiency includes its key role in developing the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency. This collaborative effort gathers leaders from state public utility commissions, utilities, and energy consumers to identify key barriers limiting greater U.S. investment in energy efficiency and to develop sound business practices for removing these obstacles.


International Energy Agency (IEA): In 2006 and 2007, IEA presented 16 energy-efficiency recommendations to the G8 Summit with the potential to avoid 6,279 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. The backbone of IEA’s energy-efficiency analysis is a global assessment of end uses, including recommendations such as an accelerated phase-out of incandescent light bulbs; broader international cooperation on the development and implementation of energy-efficiency standards in appliances, automobiles and buildings; and application of a one-watt standard for standby power (requiring appliances on standby to use only one megawatt per hour), a significant reduction from current standby power use. The creation of an “Energy-Efficiency Policies and Measures Database” is another significant part of IEA’s work on energy efficiency. A second database highlighting climate change policies promotes energy efficiency as the centerpiece of IEA’s recommendations for climate change mitigation policies and measures. In 2005, IEA launched the G8 Gleneagles Programme focusing on climate change, clean energy, and sustainable development as a framework for action on energy efficiency at every level in countries worldwide.



For further information:
Monique Danziger (202) 530-4346 (Work) (202) 904-3113 (Cell)