Top Cities: Energy Star Buildings

The EPA has released the annual listing of U.S. metropolitan areas featuring the most Energy Star certified buildings for 2011.  By the end of 2011, the nearly 16,500 Energy Star certified buildings across America have helped save nearly $2.3 billion in annual utility bills and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to emissions from the annual energy use of more than 1.5 million homes.

"More and more organizations are discovering the value of Energy Star as they work to cut costs and reduce their energy use," says EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "This year marked the twentieth anniversary of the Energy Star program, and today Energy Star certified buildings in cities across America are helping to strengthen local economies and protect the planet for decades to come."

The top cities?

1. Los Angeles
2. Washington DC
3. Atlanta
4. Chicago
5. San Francisco
6. New York
7. Houston
8. Dallas-Fort Worth
9. Riverside, CA.
10. Boston
11. Denver
12. Sacramento
13. Phoenix
14. Minneapolis-St.Paul
15. Philadelphia
16. Seattle
17. Charlotte
18. Miami
19. San Diego
20. Detroit

Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. Commercial buildings that earn EPA’s Energy Star must perform in the top 25% of similar buildings nationwide and must be independently verified by a licensed professional engineer or a registered architect. Energy Star certified buildings use an average of 35% less energy and are responsible for 35% less carbon dioxide emissions than typical buildings. Fifteen types of commercial buildings can earn the Energy Star, including office buildings, K-12 schools, and retail stores.

A full listing of the top Energy Star cities can be found here.