WASHINGTON — For the second year in a row, the Environmental Protection Agency says the D.C. region tops the nation for the number of Energy Star-certified buildings.
The D.C. region had 686 Energy Star-certified buildings at the end of 2015 — 200 more buildings than D.C. had in 2014.
The EPA estimates those buildings helped the D.C. region cut energy costs by $179 million last year, or enough electricity for 91,000 homes.
After D.C. and Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta and New York ranked next-highest for Energy Star-certified buildings.
The District now requires all buildings over 50,000 square feet to measure and report their energy and water use annually, or face a fine.
“As the first jurisdiction in the nation to pass a benchmarking law, we recognize the importance of performance data as the foundation for all energy efficiency,” says D.C. Department of Energy & Environment Director Tommy Wells.
“Buildings consume the most energy and are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the District, but as property owners continue to track their energy and water use, they are taking steps to reduce energy consumption,” Wells said.
According to the EPA, as of December 2015, there were more than 27,000 Energy Star-certified buildings in the U.S.
The D.C. region is also near the top of the U.S. Green Building Council’s list of cities with the most LEED-certified buildings and, based on square footage per capita, the District ranks highest in the nation.
You can see EPA’s full list of Energy Star-leading cities here.
