Dive Brief:
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Seventeen multifamily buildings have earned Energy Star certifications for superior energy performance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said.
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The apartment and condominium buildings—the first existing multifamily buildings to be recognized by Energy Star—are located in Arkansas, Illinois, New York, Virginia, Washington state, and Washington, DC, and use an average of 35% less energy and perform better than 75% of similar buildings nationwide, according to EPA.
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Energy Star devised a scoring system for existing properties to prove they use less energy, prevent greenhouse gas emissions, and increase comfort. Previously, only newly constructed buildings could earn the Energy Star certification.
Dive Insight:
More cities and federal lenders are insisting that buildings meet high energy-efficiency standards. Chicago, for example, has an ordinance requiring large commercial buildings to upgrade their energy efficiency. Fannie Mae’s year-old Green Initiative for multifamily buildings favors “green” borrowers.
The president’s Climate Action Plan calls for multifamily buildings to be 20% more efficient by 2020.