EPA Recognizes HEI Hotels & Resorts With 2013 ENERGY STAR® Partner Of The Year - Sustained Excellence Award

NORWALK, Conn., March 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth year in a row, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized HEI Hotels & Resorts with the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award for HEI's continued leadership in protecting our environment through superior energy efficiency. HEI Hotel & Resorts' accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 26, 2013.

HEI has again sustained its position among a select group to earn this award, and will be honored for its long-term commitment to energy efficiency, particularly as HEI continues its major program to renovate properties within its portfolio of 43 hotels and resorts.

"EPA is recognizing HEI Hotels & Resorts for earning EPA's highest ENERGY STAR award – the 2013 Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award," said Bob Perciasepe, Acting Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "HEI Hotels & Resorts leads the field with their commitment to energy efficiency and demonstrates how all Americans can save energy, save money, and create a healthier environment."

Across the United States, top companies and organizations are leading the way toward a more energy-efficient future through participation in ENERGY STAR.

"Our commitment to the environment – and to our communities and employees – runs deep," said HEI CEO Anthony Rutledge. "By investing smartly in our existing and new properties, we can increase energy efficiency through our partnership with ENERGY STAR, which helps protect the environment and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Everyone benefits through such partnerships – our guests, our communities and our employees and their families."

HEI continues to be an industry leader in energy conservation and environmental sustainability. President Obama recently selected HEI Hotels & Resorts to participate in the prestigious Better Buildings Challenge, an effort to reduce energy usage by 20 percent by 2020, and reduce total energy costs by $40 billion over the next ten years. HEI's Social Responsibility Program and the Enhanced Energy Program engage employees in continually strengthening our environmental stewardship. Also, the company continues to implement industry-leading innovations such as the Energy Looking Glass dashboard, which allows hotel engineers to closely monitor energy usage.

"Every day we challenge ourselves to further improve our existing energy conservation programs, while exploring emerging technologies to see which are the best fit for our hotels and programs," said Bob Holesko, VP of Facilities at HEI. "We are very proud of what we have accomplished and thank ENERGY STAR for this recognition."

HEI has worked to reduce carbon, waste, and water usage across all properties and its corporate office, spending more than $12 million since 2005 on energy conservation efforts and projects. In 2012, HEI Hotels & Resorts reduced energy consumption by 2.7 percent, a continued improvement year-over-year.

Award winners are selected from the nearly 20,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program. The 2013 Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Awards are given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year. These winners have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by setting and achieving aggressive goals, and employing innovative energy efficiency approaches.

About HEI Hotels & Resorts
HEI Hotels & Resorts, headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut with 43 properties in 16 states, creates socially responsible investment and employment opportunities through real estate portfolios of hotels and resorts throughout the United States under such well-known brand names as Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien, Embassy Suites, and Hilton. HEI takes a holistic approach to creating value for its investors and employees by setting the highest standards across all aspects of hotel management and operation and focusing on the central principles of excellence and continuous improvement. HEI prides itself on some of the highest employee satisfaction scores in the hospitality industry, fuels local economic prosperity by investing in communities and is committed to environmental stewardship and sustainability. For more information about HEI, visit the company's website, www.heihotels.com.

About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money, and help protect the environment for future generations. Nearly 20,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, and buildings. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

SOURCE HEI Hotels & Resorts

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