Kansas City bands with others to cut energy use

Kansas City will be part of a 10-city effort to cut energy consumption in large buildings.

Mayor Sly James announced Wednesday that it will be part of the new City Energy Project, an initiative from the National Resources Defense Council and the Institute for Marketing Transformation.

The goaI is to reduce energy use in big buildings, which are responsible for 60 percent of Kansas City’s carbon emissions and that in other cities.

Much of that energy is wasted and increasing efficiency would clean air and reduce demand for new power plants, James said in a press release.

The other participating cities are Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando, Philadelphia and Salt Lake City.

“The City Energy Project will give city leaders and the real estate industry the support they need to make buildings better, improving the lives of millions of city residents,” said Cliff Majersik, director of the Institute for Market Transformation.”

Each city will develop its own plans to promote energy efficiency in its own way.

Dennis Murphey, Kansas City’s chief environmental officer, told the Kansas City Star that the institute will pay salary and expenses for a new city worker based at city hall over the next three years. The employee will help major corporations and institutions with energy efficiency and upgrades.

Many firms will find the upgrades pay for themselves within five years, Murphey said.

James said the project is projected to save Kansas City ratepayers up to $55 million a year and result in a total of nearly a billion dollars annual savings in all 10 cities.