We love energy tracking, the key idea behind the US Government's Better Building Challenge. Over the next few weeks there are a number of terrific events focused on reducing energy and saving money by improving the built environment through energy efficiency upgrades.

Nationwide, approximately 33% of all housing stock is rental units, and in Boulder, CO, rental units represent almost 50% of all housing.  With such a significant portion of its housing rented out to tenants, multifamily residential buildings represent a tremendous opportunity for building owners in the city to reduce their energy use and cut down on monthly bills.  We’ve written before about the opportunities lying untapped in multifamily energy efficiency, now let’s take a look at what the folks in CO have come up with.

Last week, Boston joined the ranks of seven other forward thinking cities and is now requiring building owners to benchmark their energy and water use. A component of the City’s Climate Action Plan, the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance will help Boston meet the Mayor’s greenhouse gas reduction goal of 25% by 2020. In Boston, buildings alone account for 70% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, more than double the emissions from the transportation sector! 

It's a lovely Friday here at the WegoWise office in Boston, and whether your spending your Friday afternoon gazing out at sunny skies or rainy days, WegoWise has got you covered with our top links.  So take a look below, learn something interesting, and be sure to share some of the information you learn with other interested parties at the parties you're (hopefully) attending this weekend.

Whether you're looking to become a more informed citizen, or just looking to kill some time before five on a Friday, WegoWise has got you covered.  So peruse our best links, learn something new, and be sure to leave us some feedback in the comments!

Today WegoWise is happy to announce that we’ve officially signed on to the Green Button initiative that has been inspired by the White House and implemented by forward thinking utilities across the country. We already import Green Button data from utilities that provide it, and our commitment today means we’ll soon be allowing our customers to download their data in the Green Button format.

Building energy policy is growing across the country. States and municipalities are passing legislation requiring government, commercial and multifamily buildings to disclose, rate and benchmark energy and water usage. For each program in its respective region, there are unique building size and type requirements as well as different disclosure procedures. This guide will provide you with a rundown of each current policy and take a look at which jurisdictions will be passing new laws before long.

It's full-blown springtime now, and as the weather turns, so do the wheels and pedals of bike commuters around the country.  Commuting to work by bike is environmentally friendly, a great way to sneak some more excercise into your day, and an opportunity to spend some time outdoors.  So read on for our top links about bike commuting, admire Einstein's (WegoWise's office mascot) commuting habits, and be sure to drop us a line in the comments!

It’s said if you can make it in NYC, you can make it anywhere.  Well after the successful Local Law 84 program in NYC benchmarked over 1.8 Billion Square feet, California is rolling out their building efficiency program AB1103 starting June 1^st  requiring Energy Star benchmarks.  

The obvious benefits of going green just keep adding up for building owners and property managers, among others. But here are just a few ways energy efficiency and other green updates for your apartment building double as factors that could help lower your multifamily building insurance premiums: