Steelcase has received a 2009 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The annual awards recognize the country’s leading green power purchasers for their commitment and contribution to helping advance the development of the nation’s voluntary green power market. EPA presented Steelcase with the award at an event held in conjunction with the 2009 Renewable Energy Markets Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

Steelcase was one of only ten organizations nationwide to receive a Leadership Award for its green power purchase. The award recognizes EPA Green Power Partners who distinguish themselves through purchases of green power from a utility green-pricing program, a competitive green marketer, or a renewable energy certificate (REC) supplier. Steelcase is currently purchasing nearly 29 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, which is enough green power to meet 21 percent of the organization’s electricity use. Steelcase worked with Renewable Choice Energy to meet their investment goals.

According to the U.S. EPA, Steelcase USA’s current green power purchase of nearly 29 million kWh is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of nearly 4,000 passenger vehicles per year, or is the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power more than nearly 3,000 average American homes annually.