NSTAR Takes Home the Gold for Environmental Leadership

BOSTON--(Business Wire)--
NSTAR has earned a coveted Gold Certification for Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design for its corporate office building in
Westwood. Known for its avid support of energy efficiency and
renewable energy projects in the region, NSTAR is now one of only
three companies in Massachusetts to meet the rigorous standards of a
LEED(R) Gold certification for existing buildings. LEED is awarded by
the U.S. Green Building Council to companies across the country that
meet the criteria for the world's greenest, most energy-efficient and
high-performing buildings.

"Earning a LEED certification is truly a prestigious honor for any
company," said Thomas J. May, NSTAR Chairman, President and CEO. "We
work hard every day to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy
to our customers, so it's especially rewarding be recognized for
setting an example at our own facility."

To earn a gold certification, a company must apply for and be
awarded between 48 and 63 points based on a set of rigid criteria.
NSTAR applied for 55 points and earned a perfect score. The company
made and documented such far-reaching environmental and energy-saving
enhancements as:

-- Lighting - replacing fixtures; installing high-performance
fluorescent lamps and ballasts, installing occupancy sensors;
creating new, controllable lighting zones; implementing
daylight harvesting; and disabling lights near windows to
reduce night sky pollution

-- HVAC - installing new air-handler controls; inspecting all
equipment and testing sensor readings; moving designated
smoking areas 25 feet away from building entrances and outdoor
air intakes

-- Landscaping - reducing the amount of water used for irrigation
by replacing grass with native vegetation and revising the
watering schedule; piloting a new, organic lawn maintenance
program; and establishing an erosion and sedimentation control
policy

-- Commuting - implementing preferred parking for
alternative-fuel vehicles; adding an additional bike rack to
provide increased parking for bicycles

"NSTAR is to be commended for achieving LEED certification," said
Rich Fedrizzi, President, CEO, and Founding Chair of the U.S. Green
Building Council. "The company's corporate office will now be a
showcase for high-performance, energy-efficient, healthy buildings and
an inspiration for others."

The LEED Green Building Rating System for existing buildings
awards points for satisfying green-building criteria in six major
environmental categories. For more information about LEED
certification, visit www.usgbc.org.

NSTAR is the largest Massachusetts-based, investor-owned electric
and gas utility. The company transmits and delivers electricity and
natural gas to 1.4 million customers in Eastern and Central
Massachusetts, including more than one million electric customers in
81 communities and 300,000 gas customers in 51 communities.

NSTAR
Caroline Allen, 617-424-2460
or
Michael Durand, 508-441-5831
or
Evening and weekends, 617-541-7888

Copyright Business Wire 2008