In recent news, the Trump administration has made it clear that the United States intends to withdraw from the Paris Climate Treaty (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), which was touted by the previous presidential administration. While the political and environmental fallout of the president’s decision remains in limbo, we would like to share positive local news coming out of the energy sector.
Recently, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) performed a nationwide survey measuring cities’ energy efficiencies. Pittsburgh was ranked 17th out of 51 large U.S. cities on the 2017 survey, up from the 18th spot just two years prior. Each city was graded on a scale of 100, and areas of measure include local government operations, community-wide initiatives, building policies, energy and water utilities, and transportation policies. Pittsburgh earned top marks in the local government operations due to efficient use of city vehicles, energy-first policies in newly constructed offices, and equipment purchasing initiatives. However, the committee noted that the former steel town has areas that leave room for improvement. The city scored lowest in transportation policies due to the lack of initiative shown in increasing efficiency in public transportation. The ACEEE noted that Pittsburgh showed improvement in building policies with newly implement energy policies and compliance measures over the past two years, which contributed to its climb in the rankings. In total, Pittsburgh took home a score of 54 out of 100. In comparison, Boston was ranked number one in the survey, with a score of 84.5. The committee lauded Boston for high marks in the building policies and energy and water utilities sectors.
So what does this mean for the residents of Pittsburgh? We can expect to see local politicians and organizations continuing to take steps to implement new energy-conscious initiatives throughout the region. Here at Schneider Downs, we take pride in our community’s ability to demonstrate progress in reducing emissions and improving energy efficiencies.
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Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax, or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice.
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