SALT LAKE CITY – An architect of high-profile commercial buildings is practicing what it preaches by signing up for Utah Power’s Blue Sky renewable energy.

“We buy Blue Sky because we also buy the concept of green architecture,” explained Fran Pruyn, marketing director Cooper Roberts Simonsen Architecture. “Since we’re integrating sustainability into our buildings, we think it would be hypocritical to ask our clients to be energy conscious without doing what we can ourselves.”

Utah Power’s Blue Sky program gives all customers a way to grow the demand for wind energy and take advantage of its environmental benefits.  Cooper Roberts Simonsen Architecture is located at 700 N. 200 W. in Salt Lake City, is supporting clean energy as a champion-level Blue Sky partner. By buying 10 blocks of Blue Sky each month, it is offsetting a ton of carbon dioxide emissions, which has the environmental benefit of not driving a car 2,142 miles or planting 195 trees.

For 30 years, Cooper Roberts Simonsen Architects has specialized in commercial architecture, including the renovation and efficiency upgrade of community buildings such as higher education facilities, libraries, museums and city halls.

“We believe you can remodel existing older buildings to be energy efficient,” Pruyn said. “Last month, the US Green Building Council conferred its Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification on the Scowcroft Building in Ogden, Utah. CRSA designed the remodel of the Scowcroft Building for the US General Services Administration. Pruyn continued, “The Scowcroft Building is one of the first in the nation to receive both the federal historic tax credits and a LEED certification.”

Participation in Blue Sky is affordable. Utah Power sells Blue Sky in 100-kilowatt-hour block increments for $1.95 each, in addition to a customer’s regular monthly electric bill. Buying just one block of Blue Sky a month for a year has the same environmental benefit of either not driving 2,500 miles or planting a half acre of trees. Large customers can buy renewable power in bulk at a discount through Blue Sky QS.

Blue Sky energy comes from wind power. Wind is an attractive form of energy generation because it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Wind produces no air pollutants, wastewater, smog or acid rain. Blue Sky helps spur renewable power development and supports additional amounts of clean, renewable energy.

While Utah Power already buys renewable energy for its customers, Blue Sky brings even more wind power into the system and encourages wind farm development. Utah Power’s Blue Sky customers added two new wind farms to the voluntary program’s renewable portfolio, buying energy from the Pleasant Valley Wind Energy facility near Evanston, Wyo., and from Nine Canyon Wind Project near Kennewick, Wash.

For more information or to sign up for Blue Sky, call 1-800-842-8458 or e-mail bluesky@pacificorp.com . Customers can sign up on line at www.utahpower.net/bluesky

More about Utah Power and Blue Sky

Utah Power is the state’s largest electric utility, serving about 729,613 Utah customers with reliable, safe, low-cost electricity. In Utah, more than 15,900 residential and business customers participate in Blue Sky, and nearly 41,400 customers buy Blue Sky in the Western U.S.

Media inquiries:  newsdesk@pacificorp.com