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ENERGY STAR for Local Government

Partnering with ENERGY STAR is a commitment to your taxpayers as well as the environment.

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Government agencies spend more than $10 billion a year on energy to provide public services and meet constituent needs - while grappling with tightening budgets. Energy use in commercial buildings and industrial facilities is responsible for more than 50 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, it is imperative that any local government looking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions pay special attention to its own buildings and the buildings in its community.

The good news is that the opportunity to reduce these emissions is significant because as much as 30 percent of the energy consumed in commercial buildings is often used unnecessarily or inefficiently. Through ENERGY STAR, the EPA provides your city or county a proven energy management strategy and no-cost tools to save energy and money, as well as demonstrate your environmental leadership.

Local governments play a vital dual role in helping meet the goals of the ENERGY STAR Challenge to improve the energy efficiency of America's buildings by 10 percent or more - they lead by example by improving their own buildings and they leverage relationships with private sector organizations to motivate these groups to do the same.

What Local Governments Can Do

Local and state governments, as well as federal agencies, that partner with EPA and take the ENERGY STAR Challenge demonstrate their commitment to taxpayers as well as the environment.

What Other Local Governments Are Doing

ENERGY STAR Success Stories

Arlington County, Virginia has been actively participating in the ENERGY STAR program since 1998 and became one of the first local governments in the nation to take the ENERGY STAR Challenge. In January 2007, Arlington County launched Fresh AIRE (Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emissions) — a collaboration between county government, businesses, organizations, and individuals to reduce the county's greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent from 2000 to 2012.

Arlington County leverages ENERGY STAR tools and resources to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in their own buildings while informing all community members about the environmental and economic benefits of saving energy. The county has distributed more than 1,500 ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs and has been successful in reaching residents through public lectures, workshops, and other events such as the Fresh AIRE Business Summit.

Learn more about Fresh AIRE at www.arlingtonva.us/climate Exit ENERGY STAR.

See other ENERGY STAR Success Stories.

Earn Recognition for Your Achievements

Join the growing group of organizations honored and recognized by EPA for their outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency.

Related ENERGY STAR Qualified Products

Purchasing and Procurement

For Administrative Offices and Other Government Buildings

For Food Preparation