EPA Webinar on Energy Star and Museums

Are you looking to compare your energy use with other museums? Trouble finding comparables? Well hopefully we can begin to develop comparables through Energy Star's Portfolio Manager tool. Listen to this free one-hour webinar on the museum field and energy use, Portfolio Manger, and The Buffalo Bill Cody Museum's success at reducing energy 15% in two years. The session is open for registration. Register Here! After you register, you will receive a confirmation email. Session Information Topic:   Save Energy and Save Money: Best Practices in Energy Management for Museums        Session dates:   Wednesday, January 23, 2013 Starting time:   1:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (New York) Duration:   1 hour Presenters:   Andrea Schnitzer, Phil Anthony and Sarah Brophy Description:   Thirty percent of the energy used in buildings is wasted energy. This means museum operators have the opportunity to achieve significant energy savings, which translates into often much needed financial savings. Additionally, museums have the opportunity to lead by example and share their energy efficiency measures with visitors while educating them on ways to save energy, both at home and at work. In this webinar, attendees will learn about the ENERGY STAR program, and how it is working with the museum sector to provide the tools and resources to help museum operators make their museums energy efficient. Phil Anthony from the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming, will also describe how he has leveraged ENERGY STAR to reduce energy consumption by more than 17% in a two year period. Host's name:   Andrea Schnitzer Host's email:   schnitzer.andrea@epa.gov

Public Rating of Energy Use in Museums?

What will your public think when your energy consumption is posted online as if a tax record, added to an energy consumption black list, or branded on the side of your building?  Will they be proud, disappointed, or so annoyed they don't write that Annual Appeal check?

In the United Kingdom, all buildings housing a 'public authority' or providing regular service to the public, and of a certain size, must post a Display Energy Certificate annually. It ranks your energy efficiency from A - G, lists your carbon emissions, and identifies your energy sources - including renewables. It's quite colorful and must be prominently displayed. Can you imagine one in your museum?   

Well, Seth Godin's blog post Will Energy Consumption Stay Private? talks about a similar possibility: connectedness and measurements lead to information in the public domain.

Just like Pilot Fees, expect to see Energy Carbon Certificates on a museum near you soon. Why not pre-empt it with an Energy Star label or LEED plaque instead?