Launched in 2011 by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Better Buildings is a broad initiative to increase decarbonization and reduce energy intensity in the commercial, public, and industrial sectors. Hundreds of organizations are now working with DOE to achieve ambitious and portfolio-wide energy and/or GHG reduction goals.

In 2022, DOE launched the latest partnership challenge: the Better Climate Challenge. Through this effort, market leaders are working with DOE to share replicable pathways to decarbonization and collaborate in areas of needed investment.

Participating organizations tap into the Better Buildings network, engage with other market leaders, access peer-to-peer exchange opportunities, and leverage technical assistance from DOE and the national labs.

During this session, Maria Tikoff Vargas, Senior Program Advisor, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, US Department of Energy, shares what partners are doing today to drive decarbonization across their buildings and manufacturing facilities. Attendees will hear about promising strategies and vexing issues.