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Charlotte Ranks in Top 25 U.S. Cities with the Most ENERGY STAR Buildings

Release Date: 03/23/2010
Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421, [email protected]

(ATLANTA – March 23, 2010) The city of Charlotte has the twenty-second most Energy Star buildings – structures that use approximately one-third less energy – in the U.S., with 44 buildings completed as of 2009.

Energy Star labeled buildings in Charlotte achieved significant reductions in their energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions. These buildings represent more than 4.7 million square feet, and will save an estimated $2.2 million annually in lower energy bills, and avoid over 2,300 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Energy Star buildings and plants are America’s energy all-stars – they save more, use less and help reduce green house gas emissions

EPA first issued its ranking of cities with the most Energy Star labeled buildings last year. This year, Los Angeles remains in first place; the District of Columbia picks up second; Denver and Chicago move into the top five; and Lakeland and New York City are new to the top 10.

Continuing the impressive growth of the past several years, in 2009 nearly 3,900 commercial buildings earned the Energy Star, representing annual savings of more than $900 million in utility bills and more than 4.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Since EPA awarded the first Energy Star to a building in 1999, nearly 9,000 buildings across America have earned the Energy Star as of the end of 2009, representing more than a 40 percent increase over last year’s total. Overall annual utility savings have climbed to nearly $1.6 billion and greenhouse gas emissions equal to the emissions of more than 1 million homes a year have been prevented.

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 awards the Energy Star to commercial buildings that perform in the top 25 percent of buildings nationwide compared to similar buildings. Thirteen types of buildings can earn the Energy Star, including schools, hospitals, office buildings, retail stores and supermarkets.

View a list of the Top 25 Cities in 2009 with Energy Star labeled buildings:
http://energystar.gov/TopCities

Access EPA’s real-time registry of all Energy Star labeled buildings 1999-present:
http://energystar.gov/buildinglist

Learn more about earning the Energy Star for commercial buildings:
http://energystar.gov/labeledbuildings