Earlier this week, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry kicked off the Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit (taking place July 10-11) by recognizing more than 20 Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge partners and allies who achieved their energy, water, or financial goals for 2019 and five who have recently set new Challenge goals after meeting their initial goals. These goal achievers are part of the hundreds of organizations that work with DOE in the Better Buildings Initiative and are featured in the annual Better Buildings Progress Report.
At this event in Arlington, VA, the Secretary also announced the launch of the Better Buildings, Better Plants Waste Reduction Pilot.
Last year, Better Buildings Initiative partners and allies saved 1.38 quadrillion British thermal units and $8.4 billion in total energy costs. These organizations are leading the U.S. in energy efficiency by adopting emerging technologies, advancing the American workforce, and sharing their innovative approaches to energy and water efficiency.
The Better Buildings, Better Plants Waste Reduction Pilot was launched to address the 2.7 billion tons of industrial solid waste and more than 260 million tons of municipal solid waste the U.S. generates annually. By reducing waste, organizations also save energy. Manufacturers, companies, schools, and governments across the country can strengthen their competitiveness and sustainability by setting and realizing robust waste reduction goals. DOE will work with organizations who have signed up for the pilot to determine the appropriate metrics, goals and opportunities for different sectors.
At the Summit, DOE also recognized the following partners for achieving the energy, water, and financial goals they set as partners and allies in the Better Buildings Challenge:
- Abundant Power Group (finance) – Charlotte, NC
- Atlanta, GA (energy)
- Bentley Mills (energy) – Industry, CA
- Bucks County Water & Sewer Authority (energy) – Bucks County, PA
- Bullitt County Public Schools, KY (energy)
- Cambridge, Massachusetts, Housing Authority (energy)
- Chattanooga, TN (energy)
- General Mills (energy) – Minneapolis, MN
- Greenworks Lending (finance) – Darien, CT
- Hannon Armstrong (finance) – Annapolis, MD
- Havertys (energy) – Atlanta, GA
- Iron Mountain (energy) – Boston, MA
- J.R. Simplot Company Food Group (energy) — Caldwell, ID
- Keene Housing (water) – Keene, NH
- Kohl’s Department Stores (energy) – Menomonee Falls, WI
- Las Vegas Sands Corporation (energy) – Las Vegas, NV
- Redaptive (finance) – San Francisco, CA
- Roanoke, VA(energy)
- Sparkfund (finance) – Washington, DC
- TE Connectivity (energy) – Berwyn, PA
- Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (energy, water) – San Francisco, CA
- Wendium of Florida, Inc. (energy) – Miami, FL
The following partners have met their goals previously and are being recognized for setting new Challenge goals to achieve even greater energy and/or water efficiency:
- Columbia Association (energy) – Columbia, MD
- DWS (energy) – New York, NY
- 2Life Communities (energy) – Brighton, MA
- NYCEEC (finance) – New York, NY
- PACE Equity (finance) – Milwaukee, WI
Partners will now have the opportunity to also set waste reduction goals under the Better Buildings, Better Plants Waste Reduction Pilot. In the coming year, DOE will work with an initial group of partners to collectively set, track, and meet waste reduction goals. Lessons learned will inform how the pilot might be expanded to all partners in the future.
The following partners have joined the Better Buildings, Better Plants Waste Reduction Pilot:
- Beaverton, OR (Better Buildings)
- CommonWealth Partners (Better Buildings)
- Flowers Foods (Better Plants)
- FMC Chemicals (Better Plants)
- Harbec Plastics (Better Plants)
- Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (Better Plants)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Accelerator)
- Martin Guitar (Better Plants)
- NSK Americas (Better Plants)
- Parkway Properties (Better Buildings)
- PPC Online (Better Plants)
- Schneider Electric (Better Plants)
- Shorenstein Properties (Better Buildings)
- Sugar Creek Packing (Better Plants)
- The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (Better Buildings)
- The Tower Companies (Better Buildings)
- UW Health (Better Buildings)
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Accelerator)
- Volvo Group (Better Plants)
Through the Better Buildings Initiative, DOE aims to make commercial, public, industrial, and residential buildings 20% more energy efficient over the next decade. Greater energy efficiency saves billions of dollars, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and creates U.S. jobs. Below is overview of the initiative’s progress over time, from page 4 of the U.S. DOE Better Buildings Initiative Progress Report 2019.
