On Wednesday, January 29th, the mayors of 10 major American cities – Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City and Kansas City – announced that they are partnering with energy efficiency organizations to cut down on commercial energy consumption. This is very significant because in most cities, big buildings often operate all day every day, with elevators running, offices being heated or cooled, lights on and computers running. Because of this, electricity is constantly being used and often wasted. Experts estimate that commercial buildings are responsible for 50 to 75 percent of all carbon emissions from a city.

What is most shocking is how much of this energy is wasted. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that these buildings do not use about 30 percent of the energy they take in. This is not only unnecessarily spent money, but it is damage to our environment that could be easily avoided. Better energy efficiency will lead to governments and companies saving money, which is why these local leaders have decided to change their energy consumption practices.

The mayors will be working with the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Institute for Market Transformation in a new program they are calling the City Energy Project. They hope to save a combined $1 billion for residents and businesses by transforming these buildings into green spaces. Each city will be responsible for creating and implementing its own energy-saving plan and will start by improving municipal buildings that are directly under their control.

If you want to improve the energy efficiency of your own home, there are plenty of low-cost steps you can take. Start by contacting Alban Inspections today, as our team of skilled professionals will help you cut down on any unnecessary energy waste.