Louisville Arena Authority Announces Partnership with EPA’s ENERGY STAR ® Program

The Louisville Arena Authority, Inc. (LAA) has announced a fundamental commitment to protect the environment by becoming an ENERGY STAR Partner. Through its partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, LAA will work to improve energy efficiency and fight global warming through implementation of the program in the construction and the daily function of the new downtown arena, to be complete in 2010.

“The arena will be bustling with activity day and night for years to come,” said Mayor Jerry Abramson. “I am proud to see the Louisville Arena Authority take the initiative to implement a strategic, corporate energy management program that will help it enhance the arena”s financial health and aid in preserving the environment for future generations.”

In partnership with ENERGY STAR, the Louisville Arena Authority will:

• Measure and track the energy performance of its organization’s facilities by using tools such as those offered through ENERGY STAR
• Develop and implement a plan consistent with the ENERGY STAR Energy Management Guidelines to achieve energy savings
• Help spread the word about the importance of energy efficiency to its staff and community
• Support the ENERGY STAR Challenge, a national call-to-action to help improve the energy efficiency of commercial and industrial buildings by 10% or more
• Highlight its achievements with recognition offered through ENERGY STAR

“ENERGY STAR partners such as the Louisville Arena Authority are leading the fight against global warming by improving the efficiency of their buildings and facilities,” said Kathleen Hogan, Director of EPA’s Climate Protection Partnership Division. “We applaud these efforts to help protect our global environment for generations to come.”

“By joining as a pioneer partner in the new ENERGY STAR program for the entertainment industry, the Louisville Arena Authority is demonstrating its strong commitment to energy efficiency,” said Jim Host, Chairman of LAA. “Our energy decisions go hand-in-hand with our business decisions. We recognize that the arena’s largest controllable operating cost is its energy performance. This program will lead to better equipment operation and lifespan, labor cost savings, greater comfort in the facility and the ability to educate arena visitors about climate stewardship.”

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 50 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government.
In 2007, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved approximately $16-billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 27-million vehicles.

For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES.