Los Angeles continues to top the Environmental Protection Agency’s list of cities with the most ENERGY STAR-rated buildings. The City of Angels has held the number-one spot on this list for six consecutive years. This is an important achievement, as 17% of greenhouse gases in the U.S. are emitted from commercial buildings.
The 2014 runner-up, Washington, D.C., also came in second last year. The top ten cities rank as follows:
1. Los Angeles
2. Washington, D.C.
3. Atlanta
4. New York City
5. San Francisco
6. Chicago
7. Dallas
8. Denver
9. Philadelphia
10. Houston
The environmental benefit of ENERGY STAR-rated buildings is equivalent to taking 3.3 million cars off the road, or $3.1 billion in utility cost savings, the EPA says. Buildings can qualify for ENERGY STAR rating by performing in the top 25% of similar buildings nationwide. Once a building is ENERGY STAR-certified, it can qualify for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design for Existing Buildings’ Operation and Maintenance (LEED-EBOM) rating.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Los Angeles, Washington, Atlanta top Energy Star ratings
Green Biz, April 10, 2014Commercial buildings are notorious energy hogs, making up 17 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. That’s according to the EPA, which just released its latest list of the cities with the most Energy Star-certified buildings.
As it has for six years, Los Angeles tops the list, now counting close to 450 certified buildings. It’s followed by Washington, D.C., which held the No. 2 spot last year as well. Atlanta, New York City and San Francisco follow.
Chicago dropped to No. 6 from No. 3 in 2013. Dallas, Denver, Philadelphia and Houston round out the top 10.
The EPA says that buildings with Energy Star credentials saved more than $3.1 billion on utility bills in a year, the equivalent of taking 3.3 million cars off the road. A structure must perform in the top 25 percent of buildings of its kind around the nation in order to be Energy Star-certified.