THE GREENING OF THE WHITE HOUSE:

SAVING ENERGY, SAVING MONEY AND PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT

December 2, 1999

 

Real Actions, Real Savings. On Earth Day 1993, President Clinton announced the Greening of the White House, a new initiative to improve the energy and environmental performance of the White House complex. Today's report details energy efficiency and conservation measures taken throughout the complex, including the East and West Wings and the Old Executive Office Building. The report summarizes the resulting environmental benefits - including a significant reduction in the greenhouse gases emitted when fossil fuels are burned to create energy - and identifies cost savings of $300,000 a year, including:

The report also recommends additional steps and outlines plans to expand the Greening effort to the White House offices in townhouses on Jackson Place.

Entire Federal Government Leading By Example. The Greening initiative is part of a broader effort by the President to improve the energy performance of the federal government. In June of this year, the President signed Executive Order 13123 directing all federal agencies to achieve by 2010:

By 2010, the resulting energy savings will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2.4 million tons - the equivalent of taking 1.7 million cars off the road - and save taxpayers over $750 million a year.

Off-the-Shelf Products Available to All Americans. All of the energy efficiency and other Greening improvements to the White House employ "off-the-shelf" materials and technologies that are available to all Americans for use in their homes and workplaces. As President Clinton said in 1993, "I want to make the White House a model for other Federal agencies, for State and local governments, for business, and for families in their own homes. Before I ask you to do the best you can in your house, I ought to make sure I'm doing the best I can in my house."

Energy Star® Products Promotions. As part of today's release of the Greening of the White House report, six major Americans companies - Best Buy, Home Depot, Maytag, Philips Lighting Company North America, Sears, and Whirlpool - are announcing a series of consumer incentives to help promote the use of energy efficient products by Americans in their own homes. All of these companies are partners in Energy Star Products, a Federal-private sector partnership to design and promote appliances and other items that use cutting-edge energy efficient technologies to save consumers money and help protect the environment.

Further information about the Greening of the White House and an electronic copy of the report may be found at: http:/www.eren.doe.gov/femp

Click here to view the press conference plus other interviews from the release of the "Greening of the White House" report.