Port Authority & City Of Toledo To Join U.S. DOE's Better Buildings Challenge
Toledo, OH – June 27, 2012 – Earlier today, the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and the City of Toledo announced a partnership for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Better Buildings Challenge – a national leadership program calling on corporate chief executives, university presidents, state, local and school district leaders to reduce their portfolio-wide energy use by 20 percent by 2020, and showcase the solutions they use and the results they achieve.
The City of Toledo and the Port Authority pledged to reduce energy use in 7.5 million square feet of its public facilities by 20 percent, as well as work with building owners in Toledo and surrounding northwest Ohio communities to achieve similar savings.
“We are very pleased to join the Better Buildings Challenge with the Port Authority,” said City of Toledo Mayor Michael P. Bell. “By helping lead the nation to greater energy efficiency, economic growth and a cleaner environment, our commitment will lead to a savings of over 20 percent. We look forward to sharing our successful strategies with other local governments and businesses to overcome barriers to greater efficiency and achieve similar savings.”
As a Better Buildings Challenge Community Partner, the City of Toledo and the Port Authority have pledged to make aggressive efforts to increase energy efficiency by implementing portfolio-wide energy management programs and working with building owners in their community. The partnership is working to develop showcase projects and will also share facility-level energy use data as well as successful strategies and approaches with DOE, other partners, and the public. The data and solution transparency they provide will serve as an example to other communities and help transform the market toward increased energy efficiency.
“By working collectively, we will seek additional partnerships and pool resources, best practices, and expertise to meet energy reduction goals through the Better Buildings Challenge,” said Paul Toth, President and CEO of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “This is a great opportunity to increase energy efficiency awareness in the northwest Ohio region.”
Local governments can play a key role in facilitating energy efficiency across communities through implementing innovative policies, building codes, and financing strategies, as well as developing new models of public-private partnerships.
Through President Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge, our partners are committing to real change, breaking through barriers, and sharing their successes,” said Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. “We applaud these Partners for joining in this leadership initiative and we look forward to working with them as they make their communities more energy efficient, saving money for taxpayers while protecting our air and water.”
According to the DOE, commercial buildings and industrial plants in the U.S account for 50 percent of the nation’s primary energy use, costs about $400 billion to operate, and produces 40 percent of the country’s CO2 emissions. By taking steps to become more energy-efficient, DOE estimates that many buildings can reduce energy use by 20 percent.
Building owners interested in applying for funding through BetterBuildings Northwest Ohio can find more information about eligibility on the Port Authority’s website at www.toledoportauthority.org/BBNWO or by contacting the BBNWO offices at 419.720.1102.
About the Better Buildings Challenge
The Better Buildings Challenge is a national leadership initiative that calls on chief executive officers, university presidents, and state and local leaders to significantly reduce their portfolio wide energy use and share the results of their energy reduction strategies. Launched by President Obama in December of 2011, the goal of the Better Buildings Challenge is to make American commercial and industrial buildings at least 20 percent more energy efficient by 2020. More than 100 organizations, representing almost 2 billion square feet of commercial and industrial buildings and almost $2 billion in energy efficiency financing, currently partner with the U.S. Department of Energy in the Better Buildings Challenge. For more information, please visit http://www4.eere.energy.gov/challenge/partners/better-buildings/toledo.
The City of Toledo and the Port Authority pledged to reduce energy use in 7.5 million square feet of its public facilities by 20 percent, as well as work with building owners in Toledo and surrounding northwest Ohio communities to achieve similar savings.
“We are very pleased to join the Better Buildings Challenge with the Port Authority,” said City of Toledo Mayor Michael P. Bell. “By helping lead the nation to greater energy efficiency, economic growth and a cleaner environment, our commitment will lead to a savings of over 20 percent. We look forward to sharing our successful strategies with other local governments and businesses to overcome barriers to greater efficiency and achieve similar savings.”
As a Better Buildings Challenge Community Partner, the City of Toledo and the Port Authority have pledged to make aggressive efforts to increase energy efficiency by implementing portfolio-wide energy management programs and working with building owners in their community. The partnership is working to develop showcase projects and will also share facility-level energy use data as well as successful strategies and approaches with DOE, other partners, and the public. The data and solution transparency they provide will serve as an example to other communities and help transform the market toward increased energy efficiency.
“By working collectively, we will seek additional partnerships and pool resources, best practices, and expertise to meet energy reduction goals through the Better Buildings Challenge,” said Paul Toth, President and CEO of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “This is a great opportunity to increase energy efficiency awareness in the northwest Ohio region.”
Local governments can play a key role in facilitating energy efficiency across communities through implementing innovative policies, building codes, and financing strategies, as well as developing new models of public-private partnerships.
Through President Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge, our partners are committing to real change, breaking through barriers, and sharing their successes,” said Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. “We applaud these Partners for joining in this leadership initiative and we look forward to working with them as they make their communities more energy efficient, saving money for taxpayers while protecting our air and water.”
According to the DOE, commercial buildings and industrial plants in the U.S account for 50 percent of the nation’s primary energy use, costs about $400 billion to operate, and produces 40 percent of the country’s CO2 emissions. By taking steps to become more energy-efficient, DOE estimates that many buildings can reduce energy use by 20 percent.
Building owners interested in applying for funding through BetterBuildings Northwest Ohio can find more information about eligibility on the Port Authority’s website at www.toledoportauthority.org/BBNWO or by contacting the BBNWO offices at 419.720.1102.
About the Better Buildings Challenge
The Better Buildings Challenge is a national leadership initiative that calls on chief executive officers, university presidents, and state and local leaders to significantly reduce their portfolio wide energy use and share the results of their energy reduction strategies. Launched by President Obama in December of 2011, the goal of the Better Buildings Challenge is to make American commercial and industrial buildings at least 20 percent more energy efficient by 2020. More than 100 organizations, representing almost 2 billion square feet of commercial and industrial buildings and almost $2 billion in energy efficiency financing, currently partner with the U.S. Department of Energy in the Better Buildings Challenge. For more information, please visit http://www4.eere.energy.gov/challenge/partners/better-buildings/toledo.