by Brianna Crandall — March 16, 2011—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on March 14 a list of U.S. metropolitan areas with the greatest number of energy-efficient buildings that earned EPA’s Energy Star certification in 2010. The dramatic growth in Energy Star-certified buildings across the country has prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the emissions from the energy use of nearly 1.3 million homes a year, protecting people’s health, while saving more than $1.9 billion, notes EPA.
On the list of 25 cities, Los Angeles remains in first place for the third year; the District of Columbia and San Francisco hold second and third respectively for the second year; and Detroit and Sacramento are new to the top ten. New York City climbed five spots to claim fifth in the rankings, and California boasts more cities on EPA’s list than any other state in the country with a total of five.
The top ten cities on the list, along with the number of ENERGY STAR-labeled buildings they had in 2010, are:
- Los Angeles, CA (510)
- Washington, DC (301)
- San Francisco, CA (248)
- Chicago, IL (232)
- New York, NY (211)
- Atlanta, GA (201)
- Houston, TX (175)
- Sacramento, CA (168)
- Detroit, MI (151)
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (148)
EPA debuted its list of cities with the most Energy Star-certified buildings in 2008. Surpassing the growth of the past several years, in 2010 more than 6,200 commercial buildings earned the Energy Star, an increase of nearly 60 percent compared to 2009. Since EPA awarded the first Energy Star to a building in 1999, more than 12,600 buildings across America had earned the Energy Star as of the end of 2010.
Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year, notes EPA. Commercial buildings that earn the Energy Star must perform in the top 25 percent of buildings nationwide compared to similar buildings and be independently verified by a licensed professional engineer or registered architect each year. Energy Star-certified buildings use 35 percent less energy and emit 35 percent less carbon dioxide than average buildings. Fourteen types of commercial buildings can earn the Energy Star, including office buildings, financial centers and data centers.
