Skyline Pittsburgh Wins Accolades for Energy Efficiency!  

Pennsylvania Secretary of Environmental Protection Kathleen McGinty visited Skyline Pittsburgh on September 25, 2007 to present the business with the Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence. This is the third time that Skyline Pittsburgh has been recognized for its commitment to energy efficiency; the business also was awarded the EPA's Energy Star Small Business Award and Pittsburgh's Cool Space Award.

Skyline Pittsburgh, a leader in trade show exhibit design, contacted EMAP for help improving the energy efficiency of a recently purchased building. EMAP consultant Lee Ann Briggs and Energy Projects Coordinator Derek James performed an energy efficiency assessment of the facility and offered many suggestions for potential energy savings. Skyline implemented all of EMAP's recommendations: upgrading the roof with R-30 insulation, upgrading over 60 existing T-12 fluorescent lights with magnetic ballasts to T-8 fluorescent lights with electronic ballasts, zoning HVAC equipment so that infrequently used areas are on separate controls, and using high efficiency HVAC systems.

More than a year has passed since the renovations, and Skyline Pittsburgh cut energy costs by 40 percent, saving over $12,000/year! The estimated savings equal more than 23,000 kWh of electricity and 1,500 Therms of natural gas, while preventing 36,300 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

“I wish all of Pennsylvania’s small businesses would look at energy efficiency as aggressively as Skyline has” said Christopher Lynch, director of the statewide Environmental Management Assistance Program. “When electricity rate caps came off earlier this year for the 4,400 customers of Pennsylvania’s Pike County Light and Power Company, customers saw their total electric bills increase over 70 percent” continued Lynch. “With rate caps due to come off for most consumers in the rest of Pennsylvania in 2009 and 2010, those businesses using energy efficiency to reduce their consumption are going to be best prepared.”

Read Skyline Pittsburgh's press release about the event

Visit Skyline's website: www.skylinexhibits.com

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DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty (second from right) presents the award to Jeff and Gwen Steigerwalt (second from left) of Skyline Pittsburgh. Also attending the event were(from left to right) EMAP Energy Projects Coordinator Derek James, Pitt SBDC Director Tom Juring, and EMAP Environmental Specialist Lee Ann Briggs.