MARY IMMACULATE NURSING/RESTORATIVE CENTER Earns EPA's ENERGY STAR® Certification for Superior Energy Efficiency

FIRST OF ITS KIND DESIGNATION IN MERRIMACK VALLEY

Mary Immaculate Nursing/Restorative Center (MINRC) has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) ENERGY STAR certification, which signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meets strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.

This is the first of its kind designation for a senior care facility in the Merrimack Valley. No hospitals or medical offices have earned the certification to date.

"We are pleased to accept the EPA's ENERGY STAR certification in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts," said Gerard J. Foley, President/CEO of Mary Immaculate Health/Care Services. "Through this achievement, we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship while also lowering our energy costs."

Commercial buildings that earn EPA's ENERGY STAR certification use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. MINRC improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to its building.

To earn the ENERGY STAR, MINRC took the following actions:

Reduced dependence on outside gas and electricity with the installation of a co-generator that provides heat and hot water for the campus Reduced water consumption by 5% Re-lit and re-ballasted lights throughout the facility Installed motion sensors in offices and rooms to regulate light use Installed energy misers on vending machines Installed rain sensors on irrigation system Used ozone in laundry

ENERGY STAR was introduced by 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 as well as new homes and commercial and industrial buildings that meet strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the EPA. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved $18 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 34 million vehicles.