Highmark Facilities Reduced Energy Consumption by 5.6 Perce...( Pittsburgh's Fifth Avenue Place and P...),Health

Pittsburgh's Fifth Avenue Place and Penn Avenue Place buildings, as well as Camp Hill's Center Street facility, to conserve additional energy by participating in Earth Hour on March 28

PITTSBURGH, March 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Highmark Inc. announced today that its energy conservation efforts in 2008, such as the installation of energy-efficient lighting and the reduction of lighting and heating and air conditioning usage, resulted in an average 5.6 percent decrease in energy consumption for the company and a savings of some $329,000 in energy costs.

"Making small changes to things like our lighting, cleaning hours and heating and air conditioning systems have resulted in significant savings of energy and dollars," said Phyllis Barber, Highmark's sustainability coordinator. "At Highmark, we're committed to being an environmental leader because we know that creating a healthier environment also helps to create healthier communities and healthier people. Reducing the energy consumption at our facilities is just one way that we can have a greater hand in a healthier environment."

At its Pittsburgh Fifth Avenue Place and Penn Avenue Place offices, Highmark decreased energy consumption by 5.4 percent from 2007 to 2008, resulting in a cost decrease of $156,000. These savings are in part due to changes in cleaning hours and security guard inspections to reduce lighting use after hours, installation of energy-efficient lighting in Penn Avenue Place, and installation of energy-saving devices on all beverage vending machines.

Energy consumption at its Center Street campus in Camp Hill, Pa. decreased by 6.6 percent from 2007 to 2008 resulting in a cost decrease of $120,600 for the company. During this time, Highmark installed higher efficiency HVAC equipment, control systems and lighting in newly renovated sections, reduced exterior lighting in outdoor areas and reduced HVAC equipment usage duri
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