Los Angeles has the most energy efficient buildings of any U.S. metropolitan area, and nationwide there was a 40 percent increase last year in the number of buildings that received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star designation for efficiency, the agency said.
Ranked second on the latest EPA list is Washington, D.C., where an increasing number of federal buildings are going green.
Overall, nearly 3,900 commercial buildings in the United States earned the Energy Star, which recognizes buildings that perform in the top 25 percent among similar structures nationwide in energy efficiency.
Eligible buildings include schools, hospitals, retail stores, and supermarkets. The energy efficiency achieved by these buildings in 2009 represented more than $900 million in energy savings and cut more than 4.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to the EPA.
Federal officials say energy use in commercial buildings accounts for about 17 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.
See a list of the top 25 Energy Star cities (PDF).
Article appearing courtesy Yale Environment 360.
photo: CharlesLeePhotography
