Energy Hog Buildings Compete to Become The Biggest Losers

Even if you don't watch a lot of television, you're probably at least familiar with the game show "The Biggest Loser."  Now the U.S. government is holding its own version of the competition.

The EPA is pitting a select group of buildings from around the country against each other to see which ones can save the most energy.

The contestants are:

• 1525 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia
• 522 Fifth Avenue in New York
• The Courtyard by Marriott Downtown in San Diego
• Crystal River Elementary School in Carbondale, Colorado
• The JCPenney store in Orange, California
• Maplewood Mall in Saint Paul
• The Memorial Arts Building in Atlanta
• The Morrison dorm at UNC in Chapel Hill
• The Sears store in Glen Burnie, Maryland
• The Sheraton hotel in Austin
• Solon Family Health Center in Cleveland
• The Tucker dorm at NC State in Raleigh
• Van Holten Primary School in Bridgewater, New Jersey
• The Virginia Beach Convention Center

The winner gets... bragging rights mostly. Also, they've saved a bunch of energy which is nice.

If all this has you curious,
Here's the web site for the EPA's National Building Competition.
Here's a Twitter link so you can follow the contest.

A press release from Hines about the participation of its 522 Fifth Avenue follows:

John Wesley Powell Federal Building, Reston, Virginia

Skidmore, Owings and Merrill has added a new building to its web site:

The John Wesley Powell Federal building in Reston, Virginia was completed in 1974 for the U.S.G.S.

More information here.