The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is sponsoring the National Building Competition, an energy efficiency contest where 14 commercial buildings across the U.S. will compete to see which structure can most reduce its energy use intensity by October 2010. The 14 competitors were chosen from nearly 200 applicants and they will be judged on their energy performance from Sept. 1, 2009 to Aug. 31, 2010.

Each building’s energy use will be monitored by Portfolio Manager, EPA’s Energy Star online energy measurement and tracking tool, and the results will be compared on a percentage basis. The competiting buildings are:

· 522 Fifth Avenue Building in New York

· 1525 Wilson Boulevard Building in Arlington, Va.

· CrystalRiver Elementary School in Carbondale, Colo.

· Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Downtown in San Diego, Calif.

· JCPenney Store 1778 in Orange, Calif.

· Maplewood Mall in St. Paul, Minn.

· MemorialArts Building at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta

· Morrison Residence Hall at UNC Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, N.C.

· Sears in Glen Burnie, Md.

· SheratonAustin Hotel in Austin, Texas

· SolonFamily Health Center at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio

· Tucker Residence Hall at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C.

· Van Holten Primary School in Bridgewater, N.J.

· Virginia BeachConvention Center in Virginia Beach, Va.

Each building participating in the competition can be tracked online at energystar.gov/BuildingContest. There will be a midpoint “weigh in” on July 21, 2010, and the winner will be announced on Oct. 26, 2010.