May 2000 marked the end of Herman Miller's first full year of participation in the Energy Star Buildings Program. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-sponsored program encourages energy-efficient upgrades to existing facilities.

This year Herman Miller reduced energy costs company-wide by more than $171,400. The company also recorded a five-million-pound reduction in emissions attributed to the use of electricity, while simultaneously improving the lighting quality of more than 400,000 square feet of Herman Miller space.

Herman Miller's Rocklin, California, facility installed all new lighting to achieve the largest single portion of the energy savings, at $108,000.

This is only the beginning of the Energy Star Buildings initiative. In the future, as other building heating and cooling systems are upgraded or replaced with smaller systems due to the reduced loads, the company will realize savings on capital costs as well as energy costs.

Herman Miller will complete work this year on its Design Yard facility in Holland, Michigan, with energy improvements in approximately 60,000 square feet of office space and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems at that site. The Design Yard will be the first Herman Miller building to complete all phases of the Energy Star Program.

As a voluntary participant in Energy Star Buildings, Herman Miller agreed to complete a five-phase upgrade that will generate at least a 20 percent return on investment. The projects will reduce the company's total energy consumption and air emissions. The EPA provides resources to achieve the goal, including Web resources for products, services, and information.

Herman Miller, Inc.

Herman Miller, Inc.

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