The green energy movement has helped homeowners across the country achieve home energy efficiency, but some cities have been more successful than others in doing so.
With 659 Energy Star certified buildings, Los Angeles remains at the top of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) list of the 25 cities with the most Energy Star certified buildings. Los Angeles leads the way for the fifth consecutive year, with Washington, D.C. holding second place for the third consecutive year.
The nation's capital has been bolstered by the Better Buildings Initiative, which was launched in February 2011, to provide government buildings with $2 billion to make energy improvements. The other cities near the top of the list were Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Riverside and Boston.
"More and more organizations are discovering the value of Energy Star as they work to cut costs and reduce their energy use," EPA administrator Lisa Jackson said in a statement. "This year marked the 20th anniversary of the Energy Star program, and today Energy Star certified buildings in cities across America are helping to strengthen local economies and protect the planet for decades to come."
In order to obtain an Energy Star certification, residential buildings must be 20 to 30 percent more efficient than homes considered to use a standard amount of energy. This is a fairly lofty goal for most homeowners who may not have any prior knowledge of energy efficiency.
Homeowners in these cities may begin to feel more pressure to embrace home energy efficiency, due to the high number of their neighbors who have already done so. Individuals who face this societal pressure can turn to a Washington, D.C. home inspector for all of their energy needs. Starting with an energy audit right up through the installation of energy-efficient appliances, homeowners can easily reduce their utility bills.