WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that its Better Buildings Neighborhood Program has helped more than 40 state and local governments upgrade more than 100,000 buildings and save families and businesses over $730 million on utility bills. Supported by the Recovery Act, the program worked with 41 competitively selected state and local governments and their partners to upgrade the energy efficiency of homes and buildings and leverage early federal funds to launch sustainable community-based programs.
“In the United States, residential and commercial buildings account for about 40 percent of all energy use,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “Upgrading the energy efficiency of our homes and other buildings will save families and businesses money on utility bills and reduce pollution in our communities, moving the nation closer to our clean energy future.”