Los Angeles was the top city for ENERGY STAR certified commercial and multifamily buildings last year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s newly released annual “Top Cities” list. Los Angeles leads the pack with 876 ENERGY STAR certified buildings. Rounding out the top five are Washington, DC (631 buildings), New York (390 buildings), Atlanta (373 buildings), and San Francisco (368 buildings).
The energy used by commercial buildings is responsible for 16% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions and costs more than $190 billion per year. ENERGY STAR certified buildings use an average of 35% less energy and are responsible for 35% less carbon dioxide emissions than typical buildings.
“Cities and communities play an essential role in fighting the climate crisis and reducing energy use in commercial and multifamily buildings,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “With help from ENERGY STAR, city leaders and building owners are working together to strengthen their economies and businesses, reduce energy bills, and create a healthier environment.”
First released in 2009, the EPA’s annual list of cities with the most ENERGY STAR certified buildings shows how buildings across America are embracing energy efficiency as a simple and effective way to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To create the annual list, the EPA tallies the number of ENERGY STAR certified buildings within each metropolitan area, as defined by the U.S. Census, and creates separate rankings for mid-sized and small cities. These areas include the city itself as well as surrounding suburbs. This year’s list includes buildings that earned the EPA’s ENERGY STAR during the year 2023.
Here are this year’s Top ENERGY STAR Cities:
TOP 10 ENERGY STAR CITIES
RANK | METRO AREA | BUILDING COUNT |
1 | Los Angeles, CA | 876 |
2 | Washington, DC | 631 |
3 | New York, NY | 380 |
4 | Atlanta, GA | 373 |
5 | San Francisco, CA | 368 |
6 | Dallas, TX | 323 |
7 | Denver, CO | 288 |
8 | Houston, TX | 253 |
9 | Riverside, CA | 246 |
10 | Austin, TX | 240 |
TOP 10 MID-SIZED CITIES
RANK | METRO AREA | BUILDING COUNT |
1 | Provo, UT | 125 |
2 | Raleigh, NC | 82 |
3 | Louisville, KY | 55 |
4 | Jacksonville, FL | 53 |
5 | Tulsa, OK | 50 |
6 | Grand Rapids, MI | 40 |
7 | Des Moines, IA | 38 |
8 | Fort Collins, CO | 36 |
9 | Albany, NY | 34 |
10 | Salt Lake City, UT | 33 |
TOP 10 SMALL CITIES
RANK | METRO AREA | BUILDING COUNT |
1 | Jackson, MI | 34 |
2 | San Angelo, TX | 22 |
3 | Bloomington, IL | 15 |
4 | Sebring, FL | 13 |
4 | Manhattan, KS | 13 |
6 | Bay City, MI | 12 |
6 | Dubuque, IA | 12 |
6 | Wheeling, WV | 12 |
9 | Manitowoc, WI | 11 |
9 | Carson City, NV | 11 |
9 | Russellville, AR | 11 |
Saving Energy Across The U.S.
Across the United States, more than 8,800 commercial buildings earned ENERGY STAR certificationin 2023.
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As of the end of the year, a total of more than 43,000 buildings across the country had earned EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification. Together, these buildings have saved nearly $6 billion on energy bills and prevented more than 23 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions — equal to the annual emissions of more than 3 million homes.
To earn the EPA’s ENERGY STAR, a commercial building must earn an ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher on the EPA’s 1 – 100 scale, indicating that it is more energy efficient than 75% of similar buildings nationwide. A building’s ENERGY STAR score is calculated based on several factors, including energy use, hours of operation, and a variety of other operating characteristics.
