Kansas City, MO – Mayor Sly James recognized numerous Kansas City Area businesses and organizations today for making important strides to lower energy consumption and reduce energy costs in their buildings.
“It’s an honor to present these awards to the kind of businesses and organizations that clearly contribute to Kansas City’s growing reputation as an innovative, technologically savvy place to live and work,” said Mayor James. “I’m proud of their commitment to using our energy resources efficiently and creatively, and setting a good example for all of us.”
The event was held at the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Board Room at Union Station. Mayor James, Councilman Scott Taylor and Cathy Bennett, KC Chamber Vice President of Public Policy and Programming, welcomed the participants and presented four categories of awards to 15 winning businesses and organizations.
Superior Energy Operations through Building Operator Certification awards were presented to nine organizations. The award recognizes companies committed to a certification program focusing on energy-efficient building operations and preventative maintenance procedures. The awardees have two or more Building Operator Certification (BOC) Level 1 graduates and one or more BOC Level 2 graduates in the last seven years. Recipients included: Blackfin; City of Kansas City, Missouri; Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City; General Services Administration;
Four organizations earned the Superior Energy Performance via ENERGY STAR ® award: SIR Properties Trust and Shook, Hardy & Bacon for 2555 Grand Blvd.; Assurant, Inc. for 2323 Grand Blvd.; Hines for the Views at 2345 Grand Blvd., and Sovereign Partners, LLC for Ten Main Center at 920 Main Street. This award recognizes building owners for maintaining strict energy performance standards set by the EPA by earning four or more ENERGY STAR® Certifications in the last 10 years including at least one in the last two years.
Milbank Manufacturing received the single Homegrown Innovationawardfor SynapSuite. SynapSuite is an energy management system designed and produced in Kansas City that controls and optimizes electric generation to provide the most efficient use of energy.
This system is receiving international attention in South Africa, India and other areas needing ongoing, uninterrupted, cleaner and less expensive energy to power education and development, and here at home in manufacturing, rural irrigation, EV charging stations and other smart city applications.
The final award was theSuccess in Energy Efficiency through Major Renovation in the Urban Core award, which went to Bancroft School Apartments, Make it Right Foundation, BNIM, and the Dalmark Group for the Bancroft School Apartments at 4300 Tracy Avenue.
The partners in this project (including the Brad Pitt’s Make it Right Foundation) renovated and converted a badly damaged historic school into apartments, and built new townhomes around the perimeter. The result was 50 affordable, LEED Platinum rental units, and other community amenities including an auditorium, gym, computer lab and gardens.
Mayor James also recognized four local organizations with 41 buildings that have already committed to participating in the 2016 Mayor’s Energy Challenge: Hines; H&R Block; City of Kansas City, Missouri; and Kansas City Public Schools. The goal for the challenge participants is to use ENERGY STAR ® Portfolio to reduce their buildings’ energy consumption and improve their ENERGY STAR ® score from 2014. The deadline for commitment is December 31.
The City and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce have partnered to support innovative, practical solutions that cut energy waste in buildings, boost the local economy and keep Kansas City a leading city in the Heartland since the City Energy Project commenced in 2014.
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