Miami-Dade Office of Sustainability receives Miami Today’s Silver Medal Award for outstanding achievement for its Communitywide Energy Efficiency Campaign
To date, the Communitywide Energy Efficiency Campaign has resulted in a reduction of 5,544 metric tons of CO2e which equals $1,017,159 a year in energy savings
(MIAMI, June 4, 2012) – Alongside honoree and celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein and Lifetime Achievement Award winner Senator Bob Graham, the Miami-Dade County Office of Sustainability received Miami Today’s Silver Medal Award for its outstanding achievement in creating and implementing its Communitywide Energy Efficiency Campaign. This honor was presented on May 30, 2012 at the 2012 Miami Today Gold Medal Awards Ceremony which recognized local organizations and individuals for their contributions to Greater Miami. A seven judge panel of prominent business and community leaders based their selections on the importance of achievements for which nominees had received awards in the past year and the stature of the recognizing organizations, as well as the long-term impact of the honorees' achievements on this community.
“This award, along with GreenPrint and other sustainability efforts, demonstrates Miami-Dade County’s commitment to protecting our environment and residents,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “I am proud of the Office of Sustainability and its efforts to help our community save energy, water and money through its energy efficiency campaign.”
In 2010, the Office of Sustainability launched a comprehensive communitywide sustainability education program that leverages and expands existing community communication, marketing, and education programs to provide information, educational programming, and incentives for the public, businesses and County employees related to energy efficiency and conservation. In collaboration with community partners and County departments, such as Community Information and Outreach, Miami-Dade Water and Sewer, and Public Works and Waste Management, the campaign engages residents to gain support for energy and water conservation, recycling and waste reduction, and serves as a catalyst for long-term behavior changes resulting in reduced energy usage.
To date, the campaign has resulted in a reduction of 5,544 metric tons of CO2e which equals $1,017,159 a year in energy savings. Elements of the campaign include external programs such as green.miamidade.gov, free Home Energy Savings Workshops, $750 Residential Savings Challenge, free Light Bulb & Showerhead Exchanges, Kill-a-Watt EZ Loan Program, Residential Appliance Rebate Program and Business Rebate Program; and internal programs such as the Employee Green Pledge, Power-IT-Down Initiative and g-Net: an employee’s resource to everything green.
Presented by Hunton & William LLP, Maggie Fernandez, Sustainability Program Manager for Outreach and Public Affairs, accepted the award on behalf of the Office of Sustainability and said, “I have to give credit to our partners including County departments, cities, elected officials, businesses, non-profits, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Florida Power and Light and Miami Today. Partnerships are at the core of sustainability. It’s only through partnerships that we are able to accomplish so much.”
In 2009, Miami-Dade County was awarded $12,523,700 through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program, which is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and administered through the U.S. Department of Energy and the Office of Sustainability. The campaign is one of 12 projects part of the County’s EECBG program, which includes a mix of energy management projects, citizen outreach and education, sub-grants, pilot/demonstration programs, construction projects, and incentive programs.
For more information, visit http://green.miamidade.gov or call 305-375-3008.