WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary Ernest Moniz announced that 12 partners in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings, Better Plants program have met their energy or water savings goals this year, and 30 new partners have joined the program, representing significant growth for the program to accelerate progress in energy and water savings. Since President Obama launched the Better Buildings, Better Plants program five years ago, partners have saved more than $3 billion in cumulative energy costs.

The Better Buildings, Better Plants Program is part of the broader Better Buildings Initiative, launched in 2011. The goal of the Better Buildings program is to make commercial, public, industrial, and residential buildings 20 percent more energy efficient over ten years from when partners join the program.

With these new members, Better Plants partners now represent more than 11 percent of the manufacturing sector’s total energy footprint, with over 2,500 facilities across the United States. So far, partners have reported cumulative energy savings of 600 trillion BTUs, and nearly 35 million metric tons of avoided climate-changing carbon emissions.

“This hugely successful program involves thousands of facilities, avoiding millions of metric tons of carbon emissions and saving billions of dollars in energy costs. The progress that our Better Plants partners have made throughout the Obama Administration indicates that American companies are committed to reducing the energy footprint of their operations,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “That commitment is essential for America to continue making important strides toward a low-carbon future.”

American industries annually spend approximately $200 billion on energy costs. As part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to double U.S. energy productivity by 2030, close to 180 manufacturers and water and wastewater treatment agencies have now made voluntary commitments to improve their energy intensity by 25 percent in ten years.

This year’s Better Plants goal achievers join the 25 other U.S. manufacturers that met their goals in previous years. The 2016 goal-achievers are:

• Cummins, an engines, fuel, and power generation manufacturer based in Columbus, IN, achieved a 45 percent reduction in water intensity.
• Daikin Applied Americas, a HVAC systems manufacturer based in Minneapolis, MN, achieved 35 percent energy savings.
• Expera Specialty Solutions, which makes paper products and is based in Kaukauna, WI, achieved 26 percent energy savings.
• General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Scranton Operation, a Falls Church, VA-based aerospace and defense company, achieved 32 percent energy savings at its Scranton, PA facility.
• Graphic Packaging International, a commercial products packaging manufacturer based in Atlanta, GA, achieved 26 percent energy savings.
• Ingevity, a chemicals manufacturer based in North Charleston, SC, achieved 26 percent energy savings.
• Kingspan Insulated Panels, a panels and insulation products manufacturer based in DeLand, FL, achieved 32 percent energy savings.
• Nissan North America, Inc., an automotive manufacturer based in Franklin, TN, achieved 30 percent energy savings.
• OSRAM SYLVANIA, a lighting manufacturer based in Wilmington, MA, achieved 35 percent energy savings.
• Sherwin-Williams, a paints and coatings manufacturer based in Cleveland, OH, achieved 28 percent energy savings.
• United Technologies Corporation, an aerospace and building systems manufacturer, based in Hartford, CT, achieved a 43 percent reduction in water intensity.
• Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority, a wastewater treatment agency based in Victorville, CA, achieved 27 percent energy savings.

Through Better Buildings, public and private sector organizations across the country are working together to share and replicate successful strategies to drive energy efficiency. This means saving billions of dollars on energy bills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating thousands of jobs. To learn more about the Better Buildings, Better Plants Progress, read the new update released today, which is available here.