TOMAR Building Earns the ENERGY STAR® for Superior Energy Efficiency

tomar.com - September 21, 2009

(PRNewsChannel) / Gilbert, Ariz. / The TOMAR Building, owned and managed by Thomas Sikora, has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious ENERGY STAR, the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental protection. Home to TOMAR Electronics, Inc., a manufacturer of LED lighting for emergency vehicles, industrial plants, roadways and parking lots, the TOMAR building’s energy performance rates in the top 25 percent of facilities nationwide.

"TOMAR is pleased that its worldwide headquarters has received the EPA’s ENERGY STAR in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” said Scott Sikora, TOMAR’s President and CEO. "Through this achievement, we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship while also lowering our energy costs.”

Commercial buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. TOMAR maximizes its energy performance by managing energy use strategically and making and maintaining cost-effective building improvements. TOMAR’s reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from the national average is equal to that released from the electricity use of 48 households.

"Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings is critical to preserving our environment and our natural resources," said Kathleen Hogan, director of EPA’s Climate Protection Partnerships Division. “From office buildings to hotels, supermarkets to schools, the ENERGY STAR distinguishes those organizations who are taking environmental responsibility into their own hands.”

Located in Gilbert, Ariz., the TOMAR building was designed with energy saving features such as a highly reflective, white, R-50, roof system, extensive use of skylights throughout the building, and an HVAC system that incorporates Thermal Energy Storage allowing TOMAR to take advantage of the time-of-day rate offered by its electrical utility, Salt River Project. TOMAR's Thermal Energy Storage system makes up to 75 tons of ice nightly when electric rates are reduced and uses that ice during the day to cool the building and provide chilled water to its manufacturing process. This system has been in use and continually improved for more than 20 years and has saved TOMAR in excess of $250,000.

The EPA’s national energy performance rating system provides a 1-100 scale that helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a rating of 75 or higher is eligible for the ENERGY STAR. The TOMAR Building has earned an Energy Performance rating of 84 and currently is the only office/warehouse in the Phoenix metro area to earn the ENERGY STAR.

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the 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 60 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation reduce greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $19 billion on their energy bills and reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 29 million vehicles.

For more information about ENERGY STAR visit www.energystar.gov.
For more information about TOMAR Electronics visit www.tomar.com.

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