Better Buildings Challenge Spring 2014 Progress Update

Through the Better Buildings Challenge, leaders across the country are taking on important commitments to help meet the President’s aggressive goal to double our energy productivity and cut energy waste. These leaders are committing to energy savings across their building portfolios of 20% or more over 10 years. And more than that, they are committing to share the strategies that work with the marketplace. The Better Buildings Challenge is a cornerstone of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, helping the nation to save money on energy bills while reducing carbon pollution.

More than 190 organizations have taken the Better Buildings Challenge, representing more than 3 billion square feet of building space across diverse public and private sectors, more than 600 manufacturing facilities, and close to $2 billion in energy efficiency financing. The Better Buildings Challenge is growing rapidly. More than 70 new Partners and Allies have joined with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) this last year and will offer new energy-saving models in sectors such as multifamily housing. More recently, DOE launched a Water Savings Pilot and will expand the Better Buildings Challenge to include data centers to bring forward energy-saving solutions in these areas. The Federal Government is also demonstrating leadership and has awarded $1.4 billion in performance contracts to date.

Better Buildings Challenge Partners are transparently sharing the results of their portfolio- wide energy management efforts, and are on track to meet their energy performance goals. Partners are continuing to demonstrate that improvements in energy intensity of more than 2.5% per year are achievable and cost effective. If all U.S. commercial, multifamily, and industrial buildings and facilities improve at this rate, savings would total more than $80 billion per year, after 10 years.