Percent CHANGE IN WATER USAGE
BY DEPARTMENT from 2010 to 2014

Percent CHANGE IN ENERGY USAGE
BY DEPARTMENT from 2003 to 2014

TO SEE ALL OF THE REPORTED DATA FOR 2014 PLEASE USE THE ARROWS ABOVE.

Greening State Buildings for a Brighter Future

State departments across California are adopting a green way of thinking about their facility operations. Under the leadership of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., California has undertaken an ambitious effort to green the state’s buildings and save taxpayer dollars in the process.

In 2012, Governor Brown issued a sweeping executive order directing all state agencies, departments, and other state entities to reduce their energy use by 20 percent by 2018 (compared to a 2003 baseline). In addition to energy reduction goals, the executive order also called for a reduction of 20 percent of state water use by 2020 (compared to a 2010 baseline). The water use reduction goal is accelerated to 25 percent by the end of 2015 under the state's first-ever statewide mandatory water reductions announced in April.

This website tracks state departments' progress towards those ambitious goals. Click on the "Department" tab above to find out how individual state departments are doing. Background information on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and greenhouse gas reporting can be found under the "About" tab.

State Water Use

The most recent data shows that collectively, state departments have already met the 20 percent water use reduction goal set forth in the executive order and are currently working to increase conservation to the levels outlined in the state’s first-ever mandatory water reductions.

These savings were achieved by reducing outdoor irrigation, as well as upgrades to plumbing fixtures and removal of ornamental turf, and other conservation measures.

State Energy Use

In 2003, state agencies collectively consumed nearly 11 billion kBTU (thousand British Thermal Units) of electricity and natural gas combined, equal to the energy used by 174,000 California homes.

The most recent data shows a double-digit percentage reduction since 2003. These savings have resulted from retrofits of lighting and mechanical systems for improved efficiency, onsite renewable energy, and conservation measures.