The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released the third edition of the City Energy Efficiency Scorecard this week. The study found that more mayors and local lawmakers in America's largest cities are turning to energy efficiency to reduce energy costs for consumers and businesses, strengthen the resilience of their communities and reduce pollution.

The ACEEE report also found that Boston remains the top U.S. city for energy efficiency, receiving 84.5 out of a possible 100 points, an improvement of 2.5 from its 2015 score. Following Boston, the top 10 U.S. cities for energy efficiency are New York City, Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland, Austin, Chicago, Washington, DC, Denver and San Francisco. 

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh said: "Being recognized as America's most energy-efficient city is an accomplishment that should be shared by all Bostonians. Whether you're a resident who lowered their monthly utility bill through Renew Boston or an owner of one of our city's leading green buildings, we should all be proud of our success to reduce energy and save money."

The five cities most in need of improvement on energy efficiency are Hartford, Memphis, Detroit, Oklahoma City and Birmingham.

“Across the nation, cities are taking steps to save energy, and they are creating more economically vibrant and resilient communities in the process,” said ACEEE senior researcher David Ribeiro, the lead report author. “More than half, 32, of the 51 cities improved their scores from 2015 to 2017, with several making substantial point increases. More cities are requiring building owners to benchmark and report buildings' energy use, updating building energy codes, and setting community-wide goals to save energy and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. We also see a new set of cities emerging as leaders for energy efficiency, knocking on the door of the top 10.”

Additional findings in the 2017 City Energy Efficiency Scorecard can be found online at