Welcome to our May edition of Industry Highlights—a monthly roundup of trending news from our social media feeds related to energy efficiency, utilities, legislative action, savings tips and more. Here’s a quick recap on a few of our favorite industry stories we shared with our readers and followers within the last month.
HVAC contractors see pros and cons in ENERGY STAR program
The EPA’s ENERGY STAR program is one of the many programs rumored to be cut off from federal government spending since President Trump released his preliminary 2018 budget proposal earlier this year. With 450,000 buildings benchmarked in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager®, the program has clearly had an impact on the HVAC industry. In this article, several contractors debate the value of ENERGY STAR to their businesses.
ACEEE releases City Energy Efficiency Scorecard
The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released the 2017 City Energy Efficiency Scorecard in May. The report ranks 51 large U.S. cities on what they are doing to save energy in five key areas. Boston, NYC, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Portland. Orlando, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Kansas City are among those most improved.
DOE welcomes 240 new partners to Better Buildings initiative to help save money and improve energy efficiency
This year, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) welcomed 240 organizations as partners into the Better Buildings Alliance, Better Plants, Better Communities Alliance, and Better Buildings Accelerators—collaborative efforts designed to help public sector organizations and private sector companies to save money and improve energy efficiency. New partners across the Initiative bring fresh perspectives and insights.