San Diego Chamber member SD Trolleys wins one of only seven 2009 National Energy Star awards.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency honored Old Town Trolley Tours with an ENERGY STAR® Small Business Award. This year's ENERGY STAR Small Business Awards were open to any small business that increased the energy efficiency of its facility through energy management improvements during the last two years. Only six other small businesses across the country received the same honor.

Old Town Trolley in San Diego became the "energy saving poster business" for the City of San Diego and SDG&E. The company partnered with San Diego's Small Business Green Financing Program, Clean TECH San Diego and SDG&E to stage an event at Old Town's location explaining how rebates and on-bill financing made the effort affordable. The utility's small business program conducted an energy audit, listened to Old Town Trolley's concerns, and provided recommendations. SDG&E also provided a $3,200 rebate on a lighting retrofit to cover one-third of the cost, plus on-bill financing, which means the utility covered the cost of the project and the business repaid this loan on their monthly utility bill leveraging their estimated savings. As a result there was no net effect on the monthly utility bill. Click here to join the San Diego Chamber of Commerce.