Austin Ranked #1 in the Top 10 Metros in the U.S. for Sustainability

Sustainability in the housing industry applies to protect our environment through energy-efficient practices and products, reliability, less maintenance and greater satisfaction.  

In this year’s rankings, Austin ranked #1 among the Top 10 Metros in the U.S. for Sustainability.  Based on LEED-certified buildings (number and per capita, USGBC May 2022), Energy Star Buildings 2022 (number and per capita, U.S. DOE), Green industry projects 2019-2021 (investments in “green industry” NAICS codes as defined by US BLS; tally and per capita) and Score in Frontier Group’s Shining Cities Report in April 2022. 

As Maria T. Vargas, director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Initiative and former brand manager for the Energy Star Program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “more than 950 organizations and 360 partners participated in this program.  It aims to help public and private sector leaders make U.S. Buildings 20% more efficient in the next decade.”

Measurabl Founder and CEO Matt Ellis released a new book last May, “From Green to ESG: How Data-Driven Transparency Changed Real Estate for Good.”  She said, “Energy Star Program and LEED certifications have played an important, if ultimately limited role in the evolution from Green to ESG by raising awareness of the need for, and definition of, sustainability in real estate.  The importance of sustainability and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) metrics for real estate investing has taken center stage.”