Better Building Challenge Achievers: Best Buy, Sprint, Schneider Electric, Macy’s, Lend Lease

In the US, buildings account for 39 percent of total energy use, 68 percent of total electricity consumption, 38 percent of carbon emissions, and 12 percent of total water consumptions. These are the latest figures of the EPA. Sustainable buildings can not only provide environmental benefits, but also economic benefits in terms of reduced operating costs and enhanced occupant productivity.

The US Better Buildings Challenge is a voluntary program that involves companies with a commitment to reduce their energy use by 20 percent over 10 years. The program engages with the participants who are provided progress reports on how they are faring in terms of reaching this goal. Technical assistance to the program is provided by the energy department, and financial institution support is offered to help the participants implement their energy cut-back plans.

The program includes more than 200 members, including new entrants such as Facebook, Arby’s and Bank of America. Some of the leading participants in the program are already on their way to achieving the goal of 20 percent energy cut.

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Image Credit: Flickr via Carbon Visuals

Vikas is a staff writer for the Sustainable Development news and editorial section on Justmeans. He is an MBA with 20 years of managerial and entrepreneurial experience and global travel. He is the author of "The Power of Money" (Scholars, 2003), a book that presents a revolutionary monetary economic theory on poverty alleviation in the developing world. Vikas is also the official writer for an international social project for developing nations "Decisions for Life" run in collaboration between the ILO, the University of Amsterdam and the Indian Institute of Management.