MAYOR NUTTER TO CELEBRATE WITH WINNERS OF PHILLY “COOLEST BLOCK” CONTEST

Winning block receives cool roofs, energy audits, air sealing and insulationrnrnPHILADELPHIA, June 18, 2010 – Tomorrow afternoon Mayor Michael A. Nutter and the residents of the “Coolest Block in Philadelphia” will celebrate winning cool roofs and insulation for the entire block of 1200 Wolf Street with a block party in South Philadelphia. The winner of the RetroFIT Philly “Coolest Block” Contest was announced by Mayor Nutter on May 13th in conjunction with the bill signing for Philadelphia’s new “Cool Roof” law, which was sponsored by Councilman Jim Kenney.rnrnThe block party will be held on Saturday 19 June, 2010 from 2:30pm on the 1200 block of Wolf Street, Philadelphia (Mayor Nutter will arrive at 3:30pm). The party will feature a demonstration of cool roofing and insulation products by installers from the Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA). Live music and local food, along with a balloon artist and face painting, round out the celebrations on Wolf Street. The block party is being supported by the Dow Chemical Company Foundation.rnrn“This block and this neighborhood are a great example of what’s possible when neighbors work together to make their community the best it can be,” said Mayor Nutter. “With the support of citizens, our corporate partners such as Dow, and our leading non-profit organizations such as the Energy Coordinating Agency, Philadelphia will soon be known as the number one green city in the United States of America.”rnrnOver seventy blocks from across the Philadelphia entered the contest, coordinated this spring by the City of Philadelphia, the ECA and Dow Chemical Company. The Dow Chemical Company contributed products and technologies to the contest, while the Dow Chemical Company Foundation provided financial support for the competition. The ECA conducted audits and will perform energy upgrades and apply cool roof coatings on the entire block. Partnerships with local utility companies PECO and PGW will allow ECA to accurately monitor and report energy savings realized after all work has been performed on the block.rnrn“We were thrilled to be selected as the RetroFIT Philly winners and excited to host everyone here on Wolf Street and show them why we truly are the coolest block in Philly” said Theresa Jack, who coordinated the entry for 1200 Wolf Street.rnrnCool roofs are a cost-effective way of keeping the temperature down on hot days and extending the life of a roof. On a hot summer day, a cool roof coating is up to 100 degrees cooler than a conventional black roof – and that adds up to a 30% savings on air conditioning costs. By reflecting the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays back into the atmosphere, a well maintained cool roof will last about 10 years longer than a conventional roof, which saves money and keeps material out of landfills.rnrnPhiladelphia’s cool roof law, sponsored by Councilman Kenney, requires all new commercial and residential construction to include cool roofs, a feature that will reduce cooling costs and energy usage in the city. The new law and the cool roof competition both advance goals described in Greenworks Philadelphia, the city’s comprehensive sustainability plan. Greenworks includes ambitious energy efficiency, economic development and greenhouse gas reduction goals, all of which advance Mayor Nutter’s goal of making Philadelphia America’s greenest city.rnrnFor more information on the RetroFIT Philly contest visit www.retrofitphilly.com. For more information on Greenworks Philadelphia visit www.greenworksphila.org. rnrnAbout Energy Coordinating Agency of PhiladelphiarnThe Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA) is a non-profit corporation, founded in 1984, whose mission is to help people conserve energy and to promote a sustainable and socially equitable energy future for all in the Philadelphia region. Our services to low income people are at the heart of our mission and are provided in collaboration with our citywide network of 14 Neighborhood Energy Centers. In the past year, ECA provided over 40,000 low income families 86,218 energy services, valued at more than $27 million, leveraging our budget of $8.4 million more than 3 times on their behalf. These services include: budget and energy counseling; bill payment assistance; energy conservation treatments, and energy education. Our conservation services saved these families an average of 20% of their energy costs, enabling them to meet their expenses and stay in their homes.rnrnAbout Greenworks PhiladelphiarnMayor Michael Nutter created the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability (MOS) to help the city leverage its existing assets and mitigate its exposure to the effects of global warming. This means changing the way that government does business. It also means giving citizens the tools they need to lower their own carbon emissions and reduce their vulnerability to increasing energy costs. Sustainability is a core mission for the Nutter Administration and the work of MOS, primarily through the implementation of Greenworks Philadelphia, will help decrease the city’s vulnerability to energy prices and climate change, increase our capacity to compete in global markets for new jobs and new businesses, and ensure that all residents share in the city’s prosperous future.rnrnAbout The Dow Chemical CompanyrnDow combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element” to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow’s diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2009, Dow had annual sales of $45 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The Company’s more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 214 sites in 37 countries across the globe. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.rnrnAbout Dow Building & ConstructionrnA business group within Dow’s Advanced Material Division, Building & Construction is comprised of two business units – Dow Building Solutions and Dow Construction Chemicals – each of which offer strengths in channel management, branding, technology development / support and demand creation. The two business units collectively employ about 1,700 people worldwide, and generate almost $2 billion of revenue while operating more than 30 plants worldwide. Through its strong sales support, customer service and building science expertise, Dow’s Building & Construction business units provide meaningful solutions for customers today, while also addressing the industry’s emerging needs and demands with advanced industry knowledge.