Solar Power Comes to Miami

Solar Power Comes to Miami

April 2008  - A new clean energy system is 
powering Miami City Hall, making Miami the first major U.S. city to power 
its City Hall with solar and alternative energy. 
The City Hall's entire interior lighting system has been upgraded with 
state-of-the-art energy efficient lamps and fixtures. In addition, four 
state-of-the-art photovoltaic solar panels have been installed on the 
south lawn. Together, these efforts will reduce over half of the City Hall 
lighting load and cut the building's energy bill by an estimated $9,000 
per year. 
Miami Mayor Manny Diaz says these two measures reduce power use at City 
Hall by 60 percent, "not too bad for an old building like ours!" 
"At Miami City Hall we are going help use the Sun to save tax payer 
dollars by harvesting clean energy," said the mayor at the ribbon-cutting 
ceremony April 2. "Public-private partnerships leverage tax payer dollars 
so we can invest in other critical programs." 
The public-private partnership Mayor Diaz has made to fund these 
improvements is with EcoMedia, an environmental media company that 
operates the award-winning EcoZone Program, as well as several corporate 
sponsors. 
 
"Mayor Diaz and the City of Miami are leading the way by adopting green 
technologies and making use of clean, renewable energy," said Paul 
Polizzotto, founder and CEO of EcoMedia. "Thanks to a successful 
public-private partnership, what we have here is a revolutionary model at 
work - corporate advertising dollars are being used to clean the 
environment." 
EcoMedia utilizes its traditional media offerings such as television, 
radio, out-of-home, online, interactive and event marketing to help 
corporations build their businesses. In turn, revenues are generated and 
used to make a positive environmental difference in the communities in 
which these companies and their employees live, work and do business. 
EcoZone funds provided for the two energy management upgrades at Miami 
City Hall. 
"The support we're getting from the City of Miami and our many generous 
sponsors is exactly what we need to carry out EcoMedia's vision of 
creating solutions for environmental challenges," said Polizzotto. 
"Corporations are going to spend money on advertising anyway, so why not 
do it in a responsible way that improves the quality of life and the 
environment." 
Current and previous EcoZone Program sponsors include APL, Hyatt Regency, 
Miami Herald, Mercy Hospital, Kimco Realty, AbTech, Panther Real Estate 
Partners, the Romano Group, Method, Wild Oats, Terra Cycle, Nestle Waters' 
Zephyrhills brand, Royal Caribbean, Waste Management, FPL, WCI 
Communities, Ferrous Processing, Publix Supermarkets and Montenay/Onyx. 
Also in Miami, EcoZone's relationship with AbTech has led to an in-kind 
sponsorship of the AbTech Smart Sponge, a water sanitizing product that 
acts as a filtration system for water running off the city streets. 
The Smart Sponge device is installed inside stormwater drains to trap 
debris, oil, pollution, bacteria, pathogens and trash to keep them from 
entering waterways. 
A collaborative effort led by the EcoZone program, AbTech and its Florida 
distributor, GlobeTec Construction, supported the installation and 
maintenance of the Smart Sponge on City Hall property and throughout the 
city. 
Mayor Diaz is serious about greening the city. He introduced Miami's first 
Citywide Tree Master Plan and a Green Fleet which requires all city 
vehicles to meet or exceed fuel efficient standards. 
The mayor created the City of Miami Green Commission to bring together a 
cross-section of local experts and community representatives to help mold 
the city's environmental policy in the areas of climate action, green 
buildings, urban forestry and bicycle transportation. 
His efforts are paying off. In March, Miami was ranked #1 on the 
Forbes.com list of America's Cleanest Cities. Mayor Diaz says this month's 
efforts to green City Hall will further solidify the city's standing as 
one that guards the environment for future generations.

---