Trump Wants To Cut Programs That Help Buildings Save Energy. They Work.

"A preliminary budget proposed by the Trump administration has targeted federal environmental programs left and right for elimination — and counted on the hit list are several popular energy efficiency programs, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Program and the Energy Department’s Weatherization Assistance Program. Cutting these money-saving programs could be a major loss for consumers, experts have warned — but also for the climate.

But even as this is happening, new research published Monday suggests that such programs for improving energy efficiency — some of which could disappear under the Trump administration’s proposed budget — have the potential to make a big dent in our greenhouse gas output.

A new study, out Monday in the journal Nature Energy, finds that “green” buildings in Los Angeles alone are avoiding about 145,000 metric tons in carbon dioxide equivalents each year. And there’s hope that efficiency programs in other cities may performing similarly well."

Chelsea Harvey reports for the Washington Post March 27, 2017.