Louisville Ranks 24th in EPA List of Top Cities with ENERGY STAR Certified Buildings
Mayor Greg Fischer announced today that Louisville was recognized for its sustainability efforts, being ranked 24th in the 2015 Top Cities list with the most ENERGY STAR certified buildings. This is the second year in a row Louisville has made the EPA’s Top Cities list, being ranked 25th in 2014.
“Having Louisville ranked as an EPA Top City for two years in a row confirms that we are fully committed to working with our local business leaders to lower energy costs and reduce our carbon footprint, which will lead to a stronger local economy and cleaner community for all of us,” Fischer said.
Cities are ranked on the list according to how many buildings in their area receive ENERGY STAR certification in 2014.
In all, 86 buildings in Louisville have achieved ENERGY STAR certification since 1999, including 28 Jefferson County Public School buildings and two Louisville Metro Government buildings. The continued enhancements being made to the Old Jail led the building to be ENERGY STAR certified in early 2015, with the Metro Development Building receiving ENERGY STAR certification in 2014.
“The ENERGY STAR PROGRAM is helping to achieve the city’s energy efficiency and conservation goals of decreasing energy use per capita 25% by 2025,” said Maria Koetter, director of the city’s Office of Sustainability. The Mayor’s 2015 Energy Star Building Challenge is for the community to certify 35 new buildings, about a 20% increase over 2014.
To qualify for the ENERGY STAR certification, a building must earn a 1-100 ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher, indicating that it outperforms 75% of similar buildings nationwide. ENERGY STAR certified buildings use an average of 35% less energy and are responsible for 35% fewer greenhouse gas emissions that typical buildings. Many types of commercial facilities can earn the ENERGY STAR, including office buildings, K-12 schools, and retail stores.
“Louisville’s ranking shows America’s cities are leading the nation in cutting carbon emissions and fighting climate change,” said Jean Lupinacci, chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial & Industrial program. “By embracing energy efficiency as a simple and effective pathway to reach their sustainability goals, these cities are demonstrating the tangible benefits that result from simple, cost-effective reductions in energy use.”
More than 25,000 buildings across America earned EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification by the end of last year. These buildings saved more than $3.4 million on utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use of nearly 2.4 million homes.
