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EPA Announces Top Cities in Texas with the Most Energy Star Buildings - Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth Metro Areas Rank in the Top Ten

Release Date: 04/11/2012
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Jennah Durant at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(DALLAS – April 11, 2012) Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the annual list of U.S. metropolitan areas with the most Energy Star certified buildings for 2011. The list of 25 cities includes the Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth metro areas which placed 7^th and 8^th respectively. This year marks Energy Star’s 20^th anniversary, and it has saved Americans about $230 billion in utility bills and prevented more than 1.7 billion tons of carbon pollution.

“Whether running a business or a school, getting the most out of our energy resources strengthens our economy and makes the environment cleaner,” said EPA Regional Administrator Al Armendariz. “By making smart energy choices, Americans are saving billions each year.”

Since the EPA first released this list of 25 cities in 2008, the Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth metro areas have placed in the top ten. The list continues to show that cities across America are embracing energy efficiency, saving money and preventing pollution.

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. Energy Star certified buildings use an average of 35 percent less energy and produce 35 percent less carbon dioxide emissions than typical buildings. Commercial buildings must perform in the top 25 percent of similar buildings nationwide and be independently verified by a licensed professional engineer or a registered architect to earn the Energy Star certification.

Energy Star is a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. The Energy Star label can be found on more than 60 different products and more than 1.3 million new homes and nearly 16,500 buildings.

More information on the 2011 top cities is available at http://energystar.gov/topcities


More information on Energy Star certified buildings is available at http://energystar.gov/buildinglist

More information about earning the Energy Star for commercial buildings is available at http://energystar.gov/labeledbuildings

More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html