Mooresville, NC, March 1, 2006--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that Lowe's Companies, Inc., has received the 2006 Excellence in Energy Star Outreach Award for its contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by marketing and promoting energy-efficient products and solutions.
This is the fourth consecutive year the company has been recognized for its efforts in championing energy-efficient products and consumer education. Lowe's will be recognized by the DOE and EPA at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on March 21.
Lowe's received the award for its comprehensive nationwide program promoting products that meet the EPA and DOE's guidelines for energy efficiency. The month-long program was highlighted by a nationwide "Save Energy, Save Money" education day on Oct. 8, during which Lowe's stores nationwide offered free energy-saving tips and demonstrations. This marked the first ever nationwide Energy Star awareness event in the market-based partnership's history.
Lowe's continued helping consumers throughout October's National Energy Awareness Month by hosting free weekly "How-To" clinics offering homeowners practical energy conservation tips. The clinics promoted the use of energy-efficient products and educated consumers on the value of the Energy Star program.
"Lowe's commitment to educating customers on the benefits of energy efficient products is longstanding," said Bob Geller, Lowe's senior vice president, marketing and advertising. "We are proud to be recognized again by Energy Star as products bearing the designation not only provide good value and save our customers money, but also help conserve valuable natural resources."
Lowe's contributions to energy efficiency have had national impact. The average savings per household for switching to Energy Star qualified products can equal a 30 percent reduction in energy bills, or about $400 per year. Last year alone, with the help of Energy Star, Americans saved $12 billion on their energy bills and enough peak energy to power 28 million homes. Through those savings they avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 23 million vehicles.
"Partners such as Lowe's are spreading the word about the importance of energy efficiency in all aspects of our lives," said Kathleen Hogan, director of EPA's Climate Protection Partnerships Division. "They are a leader in the industry and are doing an outstanding job of educating consumers about the benefits of Energy Star products that help their customers save money and help protect our environment."
In addition to its own efforts to educate customers on ways to save energy last year, in October Lowe's also hosted several stops on U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman's nationwide "Easy Ways to Save Energy" tour to raise awareness of simple and inexpensive ways consumers can save money in the face of expected higher winter home heating costs. Lowe's also participated in the "Change a Light, Change the World" program on Oct. 5, which educated consumers on energy efficient lighting options, including new Energy Star-qualified lighting.
The Excellence in Energy Star Outreach award is given to organizations to recognize their efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce pollution, resulting in significant cost savings. Award winners are selected from over 8,000 organizations that participate in the Energy Star program.
