Houston — The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) announced that it has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR program as a Partner. As an ENERGY STAR Partner, IFMA makes a fundamental commitment to protect the environment through the promotion of continuous improvement in energy performance to its 19,000 members. The partnership will be formally announced on Oct. 26, 2007, during the World Workplace 2007 Conference & Expo in New Orleans.

“IFMA is excited to be joining ENERGY STAR,” said IFMA President and Chief Executive Officer David J. Brady. “We believe helping our members improve the energy efficiency of their operations will enhance each facility’s financial health and help preserve the environment for future generations to enjoy.”

As an ENERGY STAR Partner, IFMA will:

• Set a goal for members to improve the energy efficiency of their facilities by 10 percent or more and develop and implement a plan to achieve this goal by following the ENERGY STAR Energy Management Guidelines;
• Ask members to commit to the ENERGY STAR Challenge — a national call to action designed to improve the energy efficiency of America’s commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more;
• Encourage U.S. members to partner with ENERGY STAR and measure and track the energy performance of their facilities by using tools and training such as those offered through the ENERGY STAR program;
• Appeal to staff and members to learn about the benefits of energy efficiency and to implement appropriate energy efficiency measures;
• light its achievements with recognition offered by ENERGY STAR and provide internal recognition to facility managers who achieve large annual energy savings.

In partnership with IFMA, ENERGY STAR will:

Assist IFMA in achieving its energy efficiency goals by providing informational, technical and educational support to the association and its members; Explore opportunities to collaborate on the development of new educational programs for facility managers.

IFMA will also be recognized on the ENERGY STAR Web site as a Partner and participant in the ENERGY STAR Challenge. As IFMA makes progress toward achieving ENERGY STAR milestones, the association will be eligible for additional recognition.

"We are pleased to have IFMA join us. American businesses and consumers continue to seek cost-effective strategies that respond to climate change,” said ENERGY STAR National Manager for Commercial Property Markets Stuart Brodsky. “The great scope of IFMA's membership and ENERGY STAR's track record of environmental achievement are a winning combination to further our mutual goals.”

In 2006, Americans — with the help of ENERGY STAR — saved about $14 billion dollars on their utility bills and avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million vehicles, according to the EPA. For more information, visit www.energystar.gov.

IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for professional facility managers, supporting more than 19,000 members in 60 countries. The association’s members, represented in 125 chapters and 15 councils worldwide, manage more than 37 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than $100 billion in products and services. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs, recognizes facility management degree and certificate programs and produces World Workplace, the world’s largest facility management conference and exposition. For more information, visit www.ifma.org.