In general, buildings built in Boston before 1950 are more energy efficient than those built after that year, according to the city’s first annual report of private-sector energy use.
A 2013 city ordinance requires large buildings in the city to report energy and water use. The first year of reporting covered about 45% of the energy used by all commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings in Boston. Owners of 820 buildings participated, with a combined accounting of 175 million sf of space.
Another key finding was that the energy used per square foot varied greatly even among buildings of the same type. Among Boston’s large office buildings, for example, the most energy-intensive buildings reported ten times more energy per square foot than the least energy-intensive buildings.
This year, the city has expanded outreach to buildings between 50,000 sf and 100,000 sf, which had lower compliance rates than larger buildings. City administrators are working to identify the appropriate points of contact within complex ownership entities. The city is also increasing staff resources for help services and improving guidance documents.
Related Stories
| Dec 10, 2011
Turning Balconies Outside In
Operable glass balcony glazing systems provide solution to increase usable space in residential and commercial structures.
| Dec 9, 2011
BEST AEC FIRMS 2011: EYP Architecture & Engineering
Expertise-Driven Design: At EYP Architecture & Engineering, growing the business goes hand in hand with growing the firm’s people.
| Dec 8, 2011
HOK elevates the green office standard
Firm achieves LEED Platinum certification in New York office that overlooks Bryant Park.
| Dec 7, 2011
NSF International qualifies first wallcoverings distributor to the New American National Standard for Sustainable Wallcoverings
TRI-KES demonstrates leadership in environmental stewardship as the first distributor to earn qualification.
| Dec 7, 2011
ICS Builders and BKSK Architects complete St. Hilda’s House in Manhattan
The facility's design highlights the inherent link between environmental consciousness and religious reverence.
| Dec 6, 2011
Mortenson Construction completes Elk Wind Project in Iowa
By the end of 2011, Mortenson will have built 17 wind projects in the state generating a total of 1894 megawatts of renewable power.
| Dec 6, 2011
?ThyssenKrupp acquires Sterling Elevators Services
The acquisition of Sterling Elevator Services Corporation is the third acquisition completed by ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG in the last three months in North America.
| Dec 6, 2011
New office building features largest solar panel system in New Orleans
Woodward Design+Build celebrates grand opening of new green headquarters in Central City.
| Dec 5, 2011
New York and San Francisco receive World Green Building Council's Government Leadership Awards
USGBC commends two U.S. cities for their innovation in green building leadership.
