EPA Launches Building Competition

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star program has kicked off its 2012 National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings with about 3,200 buildings participating in the energy- and utility cost-saving competition.

According to the EPA, U.S. commercial buildings account for roughly 20 percent of energy usage and greenhouse gases and rack up more than $100 billion in energy bills each year. Last year, competition participants managed to save "$5.2 million on their utility bills and prevented nearly 30,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, equal to the emissions from the electricity used by more than 3,600 homes a year."

"This year the number of teams committing to increase energy efficiency through the Energy Star Battle of the Buildings is larger than ever before - more than ten times as many as last year. We're expecting record energy savings as more and more buildings cut back on their energy use," says EPA administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "We wish the best to the thousands of teams competing, but we know the big winners will be the American people, who will benefit from the innovative ideas that emerge from the competition. As in years' past, these ideas will translate into new ways we can all cut energy use, save money on our power bills, and reduce the carbon pollution that is changing our climate."

According to the EPA, the 2012 participants consist of more than 30 types of commercial buildings and since 2010 - when only 14 buildings competed - the number of those involved has risen to 245 in 2011 and approximately 3,200 this year.