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Colorado Springs makes list of top 25 cities with the most Energy Star buildings in the United States

Release Date: 04/11/2012
Contact Information: Molly Hooven [email protected] 202-564-2313 202-564-4344

Colorado Springs makes list of top 25 cities with the most Energy Star buildings in the United States

DENVER (April 11, 2012) – For the first time, Colorado Springs made the list of top 25 cities with the most Energy Star buildings in the country - ranking 24^th. In 2011, the nearly 16,500 Energy Star certified buildings across America have helped save nearly $2.3 billion in annual utility bills and have prevented 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," said 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."

Colorado Springs school districts participate in the Colorado Association of School District Energy Managers (CASDEM), which is an organization that focuses on energy issues in school districts in Colorado. This organization is why Colorado ranks 6th in the nation for Energy Star certified schools. Forty-five schools in Colorado Springs have earned the Energy Star label. CASDEM was formed to provide a network for public school district employees responsible for energy management.

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. Commercial buildings that earn EPA’s Energy Star must perform in the top 25 percent 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 percent less energy and are responsible for 35 percent 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.

Launched in 1992 by EPA, Energy Star is a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. This year marks Energy Star's 20^th anniversary. Over the past 20 years, with help from Energy Star, American families and businesses have saved about $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.7 billion metric tons of carbon pollution. Today, the Energy Star label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products and more than 1.3 million new homes.

More on CASDEM: http://www.casdem.org/

More on the 2011 top cities: http://www.energystar.gov/TopCities
More on Energy Star certified buildings: http://energystar.gov/buildinglist
More about earning the Energy Star for commercial buildings: http://energystar.gov/labeledbuildings