Top Cities for ENERGY STAR, LA on Top Again

ENERGY STAR has compiled a list of the top cities with the most certified buildings for 2012, and there are a few surprises to be found. For example, Portland, Oregon, which has a place in the popular imagination as a Mecca of green design and awareness ranks 23rd – below Albuquerque, New Mexico. Granted, Albuquerque is about 40 square square miles larger than Portland. However, that ranking reflects only the total number of ENERGY STAR certified buildings (Portland’s 82 to Albuquerque’s 89). Portland edges out Albuquerque in total floorspace, almost doubles the annual savings, and has higher levels of avoided emissions. So perhaps Portland is truer to the spirit and intention of ENERGY STAR.

“Los Angeles came in 1st for the fourth year in a row, with 528 ENERGY STAR buildings.”

Why do some cities, like Albuquerque, have a higher-than-expected amount of ENERGY STAR green buildings? It is likely due to campaigns and incentive programs, such as New Mexico’s House bill 534, Sustainable Building Tax Credits, which gives tax credits t0 applicants who demonstrate that the commercial building is 50 percent more efficient than an average building of the same type.

At the top of the list, Los Angeles came in 1st for the fourth year in a row, with 528 ENERGY STAR buildings, ahead of Washington, D.C. (462 buildings), Chicago (353 buildings), and New York (325 buildings). However, New York ranked highest in annual savings, with $144.6 million, while Chicago had by far the highest level of annual avoided emissions and total floorspace.