New York City is the second most energy-efficient city in the country, behind only Boston, according to a new report.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy listed Washington, DC, as the third best in terms of energy use, followed by San Francisco and Seattle.
Oklahoma City ranked last.
New York earned high praise for its governmental and community initiatives in support of improved energy usage. It also scored points for progressive buildings policies, including stringent energy codes and incentives for energy-efficient building.
The report cited the city’s Greener, Greater Buildings Plan, which requires large buildings to report energy usage and undergo regular energy audits.
The city also manages its drinking water, wastewater and stormwater efficiently, the report noted.
Nine out of the top 10 cities improved over the past year, and Jackson, Mississippi, which ranked worst last year, improved by 50%.
But the cities still have a lot of work to do, the council noted: With a score of 82, Boston was the only city that earned more than 80 points on the group’s 100-point scale. Just 13 cities clocked in at 51 or above. New York scored 78.
