Columbia Association Honored At White House For Meeting Energy Savings Goal

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The U.S. Department of Energy has recognized the Columbia Association for achieving its energy savings goal as a partner in the Better Buildings Challenge.

The Columbia Association achieved the 30 percent goal due to a commitment to advancing energy efficiency efforts across its building portfolio. As a result, the interim director of community operations, Jeremy Scharfenberg, joined other inaugural partners at the White House for an invite-only reception.

“Reaching our goal of 30 percent savings is an incredibly meaningful milestone and we are thrilled to be recognized as a leader in reducing energy consumption,” Scharfenberg said. “Over the past decade, CA has worked aggressively to advance clean energy practices and we will continue to find new, innovative ways to move the needle.”

The Columbia Association has prioritized various measures to save energy and improve efficiency across its 490,000-square-foot building portfolio, such as installing LED lighting, high-efficiency HVAC equipment, renewable solar photovoltaic sites and combined heat and power units.

Earlier this year, the Columbia Association also received national recognition with a 2023 Better Project Award from the DOE. This award specifically recognized CA and its expert sustainability team for converting to advanced heat pump HVAC systems at its largest facility, Supreme Sports Club. Compared to more conventional HVAC units, the heat pump operation of the new equipment is estimated to reduce natural gas consumption by approximately 70 percent.