The Environmental Protection Agency just released a report ranking U.S. cities based on their number of ENERGY STAR–labeled buildings. These rankings make us, well, warm all over, so we decided to check out the sexiest top nine ENERGY STAR buildings of the bunch. Are you in search of the perfect match? Look no further than these sassy personal ads. Maybe we’ll all get lucky.
Los Angeles
The Watt Plaza: The twin office towers encompass 900,000 sq. feet. L.A. dominated the list, for the second year in a row, with 293 ENERGY STAR–labeled buildings in 2009 and $93.9 million in cost savings.
L.A. twins seek a deep green relationship
Hugh Hefner need not apply. We are 29-year-old twin office towers, all business and too old for him anyway.
As the killer Watt twins, we have earned high ENERGY STAR accolades every year since 2004; we were the first L.A. office buildings to earn Gold LEED certification for existing structures in operations and maintenance. We’ve been fighting “fake Hollywood” stereotypes forever and don’t buy into empty greenwashing.
Not that we are all work and no play. We boast water-free urinals and a waste program that diverts 70 percent of the building’s waste to a recovery facility. Yowza!
Washington, D.C.
204 ENERGY STAR–labeled buildings in 2009; $62.3 million in cost savings.
One Franklin Square: Built in 1989, the building encompasses almost 600,000 sq. feet. Photo: Wikipedia Commons
One Franklin Square seeks one and only
Tall (only the tallest commercial building in D.C.), bright, and handsome office type is looking for someone with whom I can enjoy my new lighting upgrades and on-peak energy load shedding program.
No liberals please. I’m conservative with my kWh (I save over 1.7 million a year through lighting upgrades alone).
San Francisco
100 Pine: The 400,000 sq. feet building was built in 1972.173 ENERGY STAR–labeled buildings in 2009; $69.4 million in cost savings.
High achiever seeks business type
This three-time San Francisco Recycler of the Year is sick of sorting through everyone else’s castoffs.
I knew I had to change during California’s energy crisis in 2000, and got myself an environmental consultant who gave me $40,000 in light retrofits. Best money I ever spent. In only two years I saved over a million kWh, not to mention the $400,000 nest egg I saved in energy costs.
Despite all I’ve made and saved, I’m still lonely. Any innovative, business types up for a LTR?
Denver
136 ENERGY STAR–labeled buildings in 2009; $29.6 million in cost savings.
The Wellington E. Webb Municipal building, built in 2002, spans 630,000 sq. feet. Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Bureaucrat enjoys certification processes, seeks efficient tax payers
I know I may sound a bit boring, but what I lack in personality, I make up with good looks and innovations!
I was designed to be 25 percent more efficient than a conventional building, saving the city of Denver $218,000 in energy costs in 2003 alone.
But there’s so much more to me than numbers. As a LEED Gold certified building, I have a broom closet full of impressive features:
Low-energy compact fluorescent task lighting, occupancy sensors, and LED exit signs. Instead of traditional air conditioning, I’m part of Xcel Energy’s district chilled water loop. And when it’s cold outside, steam-based hot water exchangers make my tenants toasty.
Who wants to watch the savings add up with me?
Chicago
The Chicago Transit Authority office, built in 2004, spans 400,000 sq. feet.134 ENERGY STAR–labeled buildings in 2009; $50.2 million in cost savings.
Large-and-in-charge organizer seeks quick-mover
Well, let’s see. I’m bossy. I’m the first stop to see on the tracks. I switched up the beat of the drum and was built with efficiency in mind.
As the Chicago Transit Authority office, I can move you, of course. But with CFLs, a green roof, HVAC automated systems, and 89 percent of my office spaces receiving natural light, I’m downright irresistable.
I’m on the right track. What’s not to love?
Houston
This Houston skyline giant, built in 1983, spans 1.6 million sq. feet.Photo: Wikipedia Commons. 133 ENERGY STAR–labeled buildings in 2009; $73.9 million in cost savings.
Tall, southern stranger shines a light for love
I’ve always been a bit of a romantic, towering above the other buildings, shining my iconic searchlight on Houston’s lovers.
I earned my ENERGY STAR and LEED Gold certification thanks to a computerized building management system, lighting upgrades, and zone by zone cooling.
In fact, my annual greenhouse gas reductions are the rough equivalent of removing 2,125 cars from the road. Hot!
Have I won you over yet?
Dallas-Fort Worth
The Chase Tower was built in 1987 and is 1.4 million sq. feet.Photo courtesy Majdan via Flickr113 ENERGY STAR–labeled buildings in 2009; $33.7 million in cost savings.
Bobby Ewing type seeks Pamela Barnes look alike
I was born into the Dallas of the ’80s. Luckily, I’ve always been more Bobby than J.R.
I earned my ENERGY STAR rating thanks to the extensive retrofitting of my lighting and HVAC systems.
C’mon, you know my thermal storage system heats you up.
Atlanta
The Hurt Building, built in 1913, is over 430,000 sq. feet. Photo: USGBCGA102 ENERGY STAR–labeled buildings in 2009; $23.9 million in cost savings.
Let’s make history together!
This Southern belle just got a fresh makeover and is ready for love.
You know me as the Hurt Tower; and I may be one of the first skyscrapers in America, but I’m all youth and vitality on the inside, wrapped in a well-preserved exterior.
I have a rainwater collection system and water-efficient toilets, which reduced my consumption by 44 percent. That’s a lot of sweet tea!
I may not be a perfect 10 but I do have an ENERGY STAR rating of 91. You know you want me.
New York
The Riverhouse spans 470,000 sq. feet. 90 ENERGY STAR–labeled buildings in 2009; $88.3 million in cost savings.
High class Riverhouse seeks refined live-in
I’m probably not a very good match for the average environmentalist’s wallet. Only the most refined tastes seem to appreciate my automatically rotating photovoltaic roof cells and rainfall recycling system. A natural beauty — I was constructed with locally acquired renewable materials and non-toxic paints — I’m ready for the real deal when it comes to green.
Update: Rumors are swirling about a Leonardo DiCaprio sighting in one of my units. Sources close to the star say he was wooed by my double-paned windows, filtered air, and gray water recycling system. Leo’s dog Rufus approves of this flirtation, thanks to my luxury dog spa.
