San Diego’s Timken Museum garners EPA award, city honors for environmental performance

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy will join San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer to honor the city’s Timken Museum with the 2014 EPA Battle of the Buildings Energy Star award on May 19.

The museum -- which boasts San Diego’s only Rembrandt painting on public display, among a collection of European old masters, 19th century American art and Russian icons -- cut its energy use by over 50 percent. This was achieved by swapping out antiquated light fixtures for LED technology and installing new timers, dimmers and sensors; it is estimated to have cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 metric tons.

These efforts came as part of the EPA’s fifth annual Energy Star Battle of the Buildings, the 5,500 participants of which collectively cut energy use down by the equivalent of 37,000 homes’ annual consumption. The means the prevention of over 250,000 metric tons of emissions and translates to more than $50 million in savings.

The Timken Museum’s efforts also fall into line with the City of San Diego’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), which has set greenhouse gas reduction targets for 2020 and 2035. The city recommended five strategies to achieve these goals, including upgrading buildings to be energy and water efficient.