NonProfit Center Receives Energy Star Award

by Jackie Cefola, NonProfit Center Program Director

The NonProfit Center has been awarded the Energy Star from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, making the center one of only 17 office buildings in Boston to receive this national distinction.

Promoting Energy Conservation

Founded in 1992, the Energy Star program provides information to identify and promote energy-efficient products and management practices. Energy conservation helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts of global climate change. Given escalating fuel costs, energy conservation is also a great way to save money.

Major appliances, technology and office equipment, and electronics that have earned the Energy Star label use less energy to perform their functions, while providing the same performance and features as conventional models. The Energy Star program enables consumers to make better choices while giving producers the incentive to make more energy-efficient products.

Helping Office Buildings Conserve Energy and Money 

In 1999, Energy Star extended its reach to identify office buildings with superior energy conservation. An estimated 30 percent of a typical office building’s costs are spent on energy, usually the largest operating expense. At the same time, a large percentage of energy use in office buildings is said to be unnecessary or inefficient. There is substantial opportunity to improve efficiency, reduce costs and help the environment through energy conservation.

Conserving Energy in Your Home In addition to recognizing energy-efficient products and buildings, Energy Star also provides information for conservation at home. Many home products are available with the Energy Star label. Other strategies for reducing energy use include improving insulation, tightening windows to reduce air flow, and installing programmable thermostats to reduce heating or cooling when a room is not occupied.

NonProfit Center Energy Savers

The NonProfit Center employs numerous strategies to reduce energy use. The center invested in high efficiency heating ventilation and air conditioning systems during building updates. Centrally-controlled thermostats set room temperatures at efficient levels while limiting fluctuations. All offices and common areas have daylight sensors to automatically dim overhead lights when natural sunlight is available.

Occupancy sensors used at the center also turn off lights and reduce room temperature when a room is not being used. Energy Star appliances are purchased for the kitchens which are shared across all organizations on each floor. The NonProfit Center’s Shared Space also allows multiple organizations to share the use of copiers, printers and fax machines, eliminating the need for duplicate office equipment.

Organizations located throughout the NonProfit Center also adopt their own conventions to reduce energy use. For example Third Sector New England encourages employees to not use screen savers and to turn off their computers and monitors when leaving for the night. Third Sector New England also strongly encourages staff to use public transportation whenever possible.

“When TSNE began looking for a building to develop into the NonProfit Center, we did so with a commitment to focus on sustainability,” explains Jonathan Spack, executive director of Third Sector New England, the nonprofit developer of the center. “Receiving LEED certification and now the Energy Star means that we are on the right track to conserving natural resources and reducing environmental impacts. Each of us can play a role in conserving energy and improving our environment, and we can do so while saving money.”

To learn more about the U.S. EPA Energy Star Program and how it can help your nonprofit and you save energy and money, visit the Energy Star website:

Energy Star Product Information

 Energy Star Buildings

Energy Star’s Home Energy Yardstick