Mayor and Alders Introduce Program to Save Energy and Cut Carbon Pollution in Commercial Buildings
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Alders Tag Evers, Regina Vidaver, and Grant Foster introduced legislation to advance the Building Energy Savings Program (BESP). The program aims to help commercial building owners increase the energy efficiency of their buildings, save money, and reduce their carbon footprint. Cutting carbon emissions from buildings is a critical step in achieving the City of Madison’s goal of reaching 100% renewable energy and net-zero carbon emissions community-wide by 2050. Experts say the world must cut carbon pollution in half by 2030 to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. Action is required at every level to meet this imperative. “We have reached an ‘all hands on deck’ moment for climate action,” said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, “and the building sector is a key part of the solution. Luckily, there are proven, cost-saving strategies like those in the Building Energy Savings program that can reduce carbon pollution, save business owners money on energy bills, and build a well-paid, green workforce all at once.” In all, BESP creates numerous benefits for the Madison community. “Reducing energy waste improves air quality and climate resilience, lowers energy bills for building owners and tenants in the business community, and helps to grow the green workforce in Madison,” District 5 Alder Regina Vidaver said about BESP.