The Better Buildings, Better Plants Program (Better Plants Program) is a national partnership initiative to drive a 25% reduction in industrial energy intensity in 10 years while decreasing carbon emissions and enhancing U.S. competitiveness. The initiative is led by the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) within the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
Leaders of industrial companies are invited to take a corporate-wide voluntary Pledge to reduce the energy intensity of their industrial operations by 25% or more in 10 years. By taking the Pledge, companies are recognized as Better Plants Program Partners and, in partnership with DOE, will work to improve energy management and identify the most cost-effective options for energy and carbon savings.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings, Better Plants Program is an important partnership which consists of close to 160 industrial companies, representing about 2,400 facilities and 11.4% of the total U.S. manufacturing energy footprint as well as several water and wastewater treatment organizations.
In 2011, the Administration launched the Better Buildings initiative to improve the energy use for commercial, industrial, residential, and public buildings by 20% by 2020. The initiative calls on CEOs, university presidents, building owners, state and local government leaders, and residential housing developers to publicly pledge to reduce the energy use of their entire building portfolios.
Target
- 20% reduction of energy efficiency (MJ/m2) between 2011 and 2020 for commercial and residential buildings