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Seattle-Portland metro areas in top 25 cities for Energy Star buildings

Release Date: 03/13/2013
Contact Information: Hanady Kader, EPA Public Affairs, 206-553-0454, kader.hanady@epa.gov

Cities recognized for cutting energy waste and combating climate change

(Seattle – March 12, 2013) Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metropolitan areas for their high numbers of Energy Star certified buildings, highlighting how owners and managers of commercial, government, and other buildings in the Northwest are taking action on climate change while delivering real financial savings.

“Through their partnership with EPA, the owners and managers of Energy Star certified buildings are helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions while saving on utility bills,” said EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe. “With Energy Star, cities across America are helping achieve President Obama’s goal to cut in half the energy wasted by our businesses over the next 20 years.”

In Washington, the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma metro area is ranked 17^th in the nation with over 100 Energy Star certified buildings. In Oregon, the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metro area ranks 23^rd in the nation with nearly 80 Energy Star certified buildings.

Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma Energy Star buildings:

https://www.epa.gov/region10/pdf/sea_belle_tac_metro_energy_star_table.pdf

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro Energy Star buildings:

https://www.epa.gov/region10/pdf/port_van_hills_metro_energy_star_table.pdf

In 2012, more than 20,000 Energy Star certified buildings across America helped save more than $2.7 billion in annual utility bills while preventing greenhouse gas emissions equal to emissions from the annual electricity use of more than two million homes.

Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for 17 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. EPA continues to see an increase in buildings applying for and earning Energy Star certification each year. The cumulative number of Energy Star certified buildings has increased by more than 24 percent compared to last year. In 2012 alone, more than 8,200 buildings earned EPA’s Energy Star certification.

Commercial buildings that earn EPA’s Energy Star must perform in the top 25 percent of similar buildings nationwide, as verified by a professional engineer or a registered architect. Energy Star certified buildings use an average of 35 percent less energy and are responsible for 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than average buildings. Fifteen types of commercial buildings can earn the Energy Star, including offices, schools, and retail stores.

Energy Star is a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Over the past 20 years, with help from Energy Star, families and businesses have saved about $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Today, more than 65 different kinds of products, more than 1.3 million new homes, and more than 20,000 commercial buildings are Energy Star certified.

Complete list of Top Energy Star Cities nationwide: http://energystar.gov/topcities

Data behind Energy Star certified buildings: http://energystar.gov/datatrends

More about earning Energy Star certification for commercial buildings: http://energystar.gov/labeledbuildings