Our Resolution: the St. Louis Region Pledges to Benchmark Building Energy Use

Businesses, schools, municipalities, institutions, and houses of worship in the St. Louis region have stepped up to show their commitment to the environment and to their bottom line. How? By taking the 25×20 pledge to benchmark building energy use.

The 25×20 Campaign’s goal is to reduce building energy consumption in the St. Louis region by 25% by the year 2020, a goal that aligns with the City of St. Louis’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. The High Performance Building Initiative, coordinated by the St. Louis Regional Chamber and U.S. Green Building Council – Missouri Gateway Chapter, launched the campaign in April of 2014, and since that time a diverse set of building owners have jumped on board.

“The 25×20 Campaign’s goal is to reduce building energy consumption in the St. Louis region by 25% by the year 2020.”

Participants in the 25×20 campaign range from operators of one building, such as the Mid-County YMCA and Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Ferguson, to some of the region’s largest institutions and most recognizable names, like the St. Louis Cardinals, Express Scripts, and Saint Louis University.

Saint Louis University joined the 25×20 campaign in August, pledging to benchmark the energy consumed by their 134 buildings. Their buildings range from very recently completed projects to buildings over 120 years in age, and include residence halls, academic buildings, sports arenas and research facilities.

Brandon Verhoff, Director of Sustainability and Benchmarking for the Division of Facilities Services, said of their participation in 25×20: “Saint Louis University is devoted to decreasing energy usage on campus. It will take the entire University to embrace and support reduction efforts and we look forward to partnering with our SLU community to make a real difference.”

And benchmarking has been shown to make a difference! According to ENERGY STAR, buildings that benchmark their energy use for three years see an average energy savings of 7%. Tracking energy consumption is the first step to saving energy and saving money. As the saying goes, “you can’t manage what you don’t measure.”

“According to ENERGY STAR, buildings that benchmark their energy use for three years see an average energy savings of 7%.

The St. Louis Cardinals have seen the difference that benchmarking can make. They were one of the first professional sports teams to partner with ENERGY STAR, joining in 2007. Through benchmarking with ENERGY STAR’s free, online Portfolio Manager tool, completing an energy audit, and retro-commissioning, they have reduced their energy use by over 23% since that time. As a 25×20 campaign participant and captain of the 25×20 team in the Battle of the Buildings: EPA’s National Building Competition, the Cardinals are in a familiar position – in the lead.

This time of year we all consider our resolutions for the months ahead. The St. Louis area businesses, institutions, non-profits and congregations that have taken the 25×20 pledge are on their way to reducing energy consumption, reducing costs, and reducing their environmental impacts. Explore the diverse group of buildings that have stepped up in the new 25×20 GBIG collection, or learn more about the campaign at www.25×20.org.