August 16, 2002—The Portland City Council has executed a contract with The Climate Trust to improve the energy efficiency of apartments and commercial buildings. The Climate Trust will provide almost $1 million for this project, which will reduce energy use and related emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the heat-trapping gas largely responsible for global warming.
The Climate Trust estimates the contract will help Portland energy customers save an estimated $50 million on utility bills and encourage the continued development of commercial green buildings.
Over the next five years the Portland Office of Sustainable Development Energy and Green Building Divisions will use The Climate Trust funding to work with the owners of over 12,000 apartment units and about forty commercial buildings statewide to improve energy efficiency. This collaboration leverages existing funds to provide technical expertise and facilitate access to financial incentives.
The program implements a key piece of Portland’s Local Action Plan on Global Warming, which established a goal of reducing local emissions of greenhouse gases to 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2010.
For more information, contact The Climate Trust or Portland’s commercial green building program at 503/823-7725.
