Press Release

December 17, 2007

Presentation Retreat & Conference Center Wins Energy Oscar
California Interfaith Power & Light honors retreat center ~ 3rd award this year for Presentation Center

Presentation Retreat & Conference Center was awarded the Energy Oscar for Green Building by California Power & Light at the First Annual CIPL Energy Oscars held in Berkeley on Dec. 11, 2007. This award honors Presentation Center’s LEED Gold Certified dining hall which includes:

• Straw bale walls
• Passive solar design, Photovoltaic Solar Panels, and Solar Thermal Collectors
• Living roof with native grasses and plants covering 3,400 square feet
• Recycled blue jean insulation
• Sustainable, organic garden maintained by the U.C. Master Gardeners

“We wanted to build a building that reflects and protects the sacred natural beauty of the redwoods and mountains surrounding our retreat center”, said Sister Patricia Marie Mulpeters as she accepted the award for Presentation Center.

The Energy Oscars recognize the exemplary efforts of CIPL congregations to conserve energy and stop global warming. The event was celebrated with organic food and wine and included a “green” carpet lit with twinkle lights. Energy Oscars were awarded for five categories: Global Warming Education, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Green Building, and Public Policy Advocacy.

“We believe stabilizing the climate is the most important moral issue of our time,” said the Rev. Sally Bingham, founder and president of CIPL. “Every major faith tradition has a mandate to care for Creation. The web of life is sacred, but sadly endangered”.

• California Interfaith Power & Light was founded in 2001 to help people of faith to promote positive environmental change around energy and global warming. The CIPL membership is made up of 500 religious congregations of all faiths, including Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and others.
  This award is the third honor in the past year for Presentation Center’s “green” building. The other two awards are:
• 2007 Design Honor Award for Energy + Sustainability from the American Institute of Architects San Francisco Chapter
• Best of 2006 Northern California Green Building Award from California Construction magazine.

Presentation Center is an eco-friendly, nonprofit retreat and conference center in the stunning natural setting of the hills above Los Gatos. A sponsored ministry of the Sisters of the Presentation, a Catholic congregation, the Center is open to gatherings of all faiths, the arts, professional groups and associations, as well as individuals and couples. For more info, visit www.PresentationCenter.org

*About LEED Certification: The United States Green Building Council established the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria as a voluntary standard for developing high performance sustainable buildings.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Cindy Blain
Phone: (408) 354-2346