Thanks largely to an ambitious program to boost the use of LED lighting in its buildings, Los Angeles is the top ranked U.S. city on the Environmental Protection Agency’s annual list of U.S. cities that are doing the most to improve energy efficiency.
Los Angeles took on the world’s largest LED lighting efficiency and energy savings project five years ago, and is saving millions on electricity as a result.
Buildings that perform in the top 25% of similar structures in the United States are eligible for the Energy Star designation. Building owners/managers need to verify that level of performance independently. Energy Star buildings typically use an average of 35% less energy than those like them, along with a corresponding reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
Commercial, institutional, and government buildings can earn Energy Star recognition. Many of the Energy Star buildings have undergone LED lighting retrofits or installed smart meters and dashboards that track energy usage.
For example, Mercy Philadelphia Hospital installed LEDs in all of its exit signs, along with sensors, timers, photo light controls and motion detectors. The hospital reduced electric consumption to about 9.86 million kilowatt-hours (kWhs) in 2013, compared with 10.2 million kWhs in 2012. The resulting savings is about $20,534 per year.
Related Stories
| Mar 30, 2014
Solar panels on Big Ben intended to spur U.K.’s sustainability targets
Solar panels may soon be installed on the face of Big Ben in London as part of the U.K.'s initiatives to reach its greenhouse gas emissions objectives under the Climate Change Act of 2008.
| Mar 26, 2014
EPA clarifies Clean Water Act in revision that was opposed by developers
The Environmental Protection Agency recently unveiled a rule designed to define more clearly which waterways are covered by the Clean Water Act and therefore require U.S. permits for certain activities.
| Mar 26, 2014
Better Buildings Initiative leading to tens of millions of dollars in savings annually, says DOE
Facilities across the nation have been able to shave on average about 2.5% of their annual utility costs through efficiency initiatives spurred by the federal Better Buildings Initiative, according to the Department of Energy’s Maria Vargas.
| Mar 26, 2014
Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha fire could prompt building code changes
A dormitory fire at the University of Nebraska at Omaha that displaced with 42 students (but caused no injuries) could trigger local building code changes.
| Mar 26, 2014
Associated Builders and Contractors wary of federal overtime rules changes
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) cautioned that President Obama’s directive to the U.S. Department of Labor to change federal overtime rules could harm its members.
| Mar 19, 2014
Oklahoma City mandates safe rooms in new schools
The move will affect 24 districts that have schools inside Oklahoma City limits.
| Mar 19, 2014
Green building standards can help building become more storm-resistant
Structures built to green standards have added resilience to destructive storms because green buildings are often constructed with stronger, more sustainable materials than traditional buildings.
| Mar 19, 2014
Ohio Senate passes rule to require state agencies use ANSI standards rather than LEED
The resolution specifically mentions LEED v4, and calls for the U.S. Green Building Council to conform to ANSI.
| Mar 19, 2014
Tucson ignores ADA, building code on city-owned property
The city has been operating a downtown dirt parking lot in violation of its own code and the federal law for years.
| Mar 19, 2014
Santa Monica, Calif., may offer LEED alternatives to help promote green construction
With developers in Santa Monica, Calif., looking for ways to build green more inexpensively, the city may consider alternatives to LEED such as Green Globes.
