NY hospital is a real star.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named New York-Presbyterian Hospital "ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year" for its outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through leadership in energy management.

New York-Presbyterian's accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 15, 2005.

New York-Presbyterian, an ENERGY STAR partner since 2003, has been recognized for sustaining smart energy management practices and investments throughout its operations, including a total energy savings of $700,000 through capital improvements and efficient operating strategies.

"Every dollar saved on energy costs is a dollar that is devoted to improving medical care for our patients," says Dr. Herbert Pardes, president and CEO of New York-Presbyterian.

New York-Presbyterian's energy efficiency accomplishments include reduction of 8,287,305 lbs of C[O.sub.2] output; the establishment of a $1.5 million budget for energy efficiency retrofits; committed New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) funding of $1.1 million; The appointment of a fulltime management-level position dedicated to maximizing energy savings, the Energy Programs Manager; the establishment of energy management policies that include technical studies and implementation of energy saving capital improvements: procurement of ENERGY STAR--qualified products; design and construction of energy efficient buildings and renovations; and the promotion of the EPA ENERGY STAR program among the Hospital's 33 network affiliates; and the creation of Hospital-sponsored energy-related events throughout the year; a conservation hotline, which allows staff, patients, or visitors to submit energy-saving ideas; and an employee recognition program called the "Service Star," an award for contributions that improve energy savings.

"This award recognizes our Hospital's ongoing commitment to forward-looking environmental practices," says Robert Volland, senior vice president of real estate and facilities at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

"As an ENERGY STAR partner, we value superior energy performance in our organization--it's good for our bottom line and good for the environment."

"As an ENERGY STAR partner, New York-Presbyterian Hospital has distinguished itself by demanding superior energy performance and seeing real results," said Kathleen Hogan, director of EPA's Climate Protection Partnerships Division.

The Partner of the Year Award is given to a variety of organizations to recognize their efforts to use energy efficiently in facility operations and to integrate energy efficiency into overall organizational strategy. These Award winners are selected from thousands of organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

Across the U.S., top companies and organizations are discovering the value of strategic energy management through participation in ENERGY STAR. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $10 billion on their energy bills while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 20 million cars.