Energy Efficiency Built Into Verizon Wireless Communications Stores

30 Stores Nationwide Have Received Recognition from the EPA; List Grows.

LAS VEGAS, NV, and BASKING RIDGE, NJ — If you’ve noticed that Verizon Wireless Communications Stores seem more “green” these days, you’re not alone. From CTIA WIRELESS 2009®, Verizon Wireless announced that 30 of the company’s Communications Stores have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR®, the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental protection, the most of any wireless retailer.

To be eligible for the ENERGY STAR, a retail location must be 5,000 square feet or greater, have one year of utility data available for the EPA to review and earn an energy performance rating of 75 or higher. More than one out of five Verizon Wireless Communications Stores that meet those requirements have been recognized so far by the EPA.

“We want every one of our stores to be energy efficient,” said Jack Plating, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Verizon Wireless. “Implementing environmentally-friendly practices throughout the company is a priority for us, and we use the EPA ENERGY STAR guidelines as benchmarking tools for our Communications Stores.”

To make stores more energy efficient, Verizon Wireless installs temperature sensors and energy management systems to monitor heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system use; controls temperature set-points as well as internal and external lighting schedules; and tracks usage history for maintenance and service requirements. The systems help Verizon Wireless save on energy costs by activating the ventilating, heating and lighting systems automatically based on the stores’ operating hours.

To further reduce energy usage, Verizon Wireless also installs light-emitting diode (LED) exit signs and microcontrollers on vending machines. Verizon Wireless Communications Stores also feature insulated water heaters to reduce heating costs and properly sealed building “envelopes” and entry doors to prevent the loss of heated or cooled air.

The EPA’s national energy performance rating system provides a one to 100 point scale that helps organizations assess how efficiently buildings of a certain size use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a rating of 75 or higher is eligible for the ENERGY STAR. For more information about Verizon Wireless, visit www.verizonwireless.com.