Reno, Nevada, launched a new program to energy and water efficiency in commercial, industrial and multi-family buildings.

The program, ReEnergzie Reno, aims to improve efficiency 20% by 2025. And, according to kolotv.com, the City of Reno is inviting CEOs, higher education presidents, state and local government leaders, building owners and multifamily housing developers to join ReEnergize Reno. The city will track utility data for more than 1.5 million square feet in 38 municipal buildings using the Energy Star Portfolio Manager.

Reno is betting that investments in cost-effective building efficiency strategies will stimulate innovation, bolster our economy, promote a healthy environment, and create highly skilled jobs within the community.

Better Buildings Challenge

The formation of the program comes on the heels of Reno joining the US Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge. The challenge is an initiative aimed at improving the lives of the American people by driving leadership in energy innovation in the nation’s homes, commercial and public buildings, and industrial plants.

In May of this year it was reported that hundreds of organizations have engaged in energy saving efforts that have resulted in a combined 240 trillion Btus and an estimated $1.9 billion in cumulative energy and cost savings. More than 345 private and public sector organizations have committed to improving their energy efficiency across their entire building portfolio by at least 20% within a decade.

This year, 18 organizations met their energy, water or financing goals under the Better Buildings Challenge, including General Motors, Macy’s and Staples. Innovative energy and water saving solutions from a few of the 345 organizations include:

• Martin Guitar: The instrument maker pledged to reduce energy intensity 25 percent by 2026. The company undertook an ambitious retrofit of its Pennsylvania plant HVAC system that will yield a 39 percent improvement in that facility’s HVAC energy intensity, as well as lower maintenance costs and more reliable guitar quality.
• Shorenstein Properties: The real estate company upgraded to direct digital controls, modified set points, installed variable frequency drives and upgraded to LEDs at a 735,000 square-foot office building in San Francisco, reducing energy use by 31 percent and saving $623,000 annually.
• MGM Resorts International: The hospitality giant upgraded more than 14,500 lights across more than 49,000 parking spaces, saving more than 18 million kWh in 2016 and winning a Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking award.
• Target: The retail chain replaced 120,000 troffers across 100 stores, resulting in $1.5 million in electricity savings and an award from ILC for its achievements.