Better Buildings Initiative Saves $18.5 Billion, Cuts Emissions by 189 Million Metric Tons, Reports DOE.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has reported that no U.,S. public and private sector businesses and government entities participating in the Better Buildings Initiative have saved more than $18.5 billion through this initiative, according to a report by the Department for Energy. The initiative, launched in 2011, aims to improve energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation and emissions reduction across buildings and facilities. It also aims to reduce scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in a decade. The report found that partners were able to realize savings of about 3.1 quadrillion British thermal units of energy, cutting about 189 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and reducing their water use by over 16 billion gallons. Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems led the pack with a 70% cut in GHG emissions across seven facilities from its 2018 base year, followed by HNI Corp. with a 64% reduction. Commercial real estate entities achieved 107 million metric ton of annual CO2 reductions, despite decarbonization barriers such as financial stringency, tenant data access and regional energy grid complexities. The Biden administration introduced a new initiative, the Better Climate Challenge in 2022, to prioritise GHG reductions across portfolios.