Commercial | Alliance to Save Energy

Commercial

Built Environment

A lot of energy consumption happens indoors, making buildings an important target for energy efficiency. And the energy efficiency toolkit is getting smarter: emerging innovations around building systems and grid-interactive technologies are combining with proven solutions like high-efficiency windows and insulation to make the promise of decarbonization a reality in the buildings sector. But to get there, we need to do more to push energy efficiency into the market.

 

Commercial

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), “businesses, federal, state, and local governments own, operate, and use 93 billion square feet of U.S. real estate, and account for 18 percent (or 18 quadrillion Btu) of U.S. primary energy use—more than all of Canada's energy consumption—and $190 billion in energy expenditures every year.

Commercial buildings consume 13.6 quads of electricity (35 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S.) and generate 826 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions (16 percent of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions). Reducing energy use in commercial buildings would have tremendous positive impact on our environment and energy security and would save money that can be used to help grow U.S. businesses. In addition, energy efficiency in commercial buildings creates good, skilled, and needed jobs in construction and technology, such as engineers, commissioning agents, energy managers, and building operators.

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TAKE ACTION

Help the Alliance advocate for policies to use energy more efficiently – supporting job creation, reduced emissions, and lower costs. Contact your member of Congress.

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Energy efficiency is smart, nonpartisan, and practical. So are we. Our strength comes from an unparalleled group of Alliance Associates working collaboratively under the Alliance umbrella to pave the way for energy efficiency gains.

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The power of efficiency is in your hands. Supporting the Alliance means supporting a vision for using energy more productively to achieve economic growth, a cleaner environment, and greater energy security, affordability, and reliability.