Lead By Example

Renovating State Buildings – a Green Jobs Opportunity

Upgrading state facilities presents a “win-win-win” opportunity to foster in-state job creation and economic development while reducing the state’s substantial energy costs and helping to meet our climate goals.

The Roundtable partnered with the Acadia Center in pursuing legislation that will strengthen and accelerate the existing “Lead by Example” program that enables state agencies to use future energy savings to finance efficiency upgrades. Expanding the program will create hundreds of construction jobs, and with potential savings estimated to be $60 million per year, it will benefit CT’s taxpayers, too.

More than 30 organizations endorsed our 2017 campaign. Download the campaign handout with the list of endorsing groups.

Opportunity for CT Jobs and Taxpayer Savings at CT state government facilities:

65 million sq ft of floor space in nearly 4,000 buildings
Account for 15% of the energy consumed by the state’s commercial & industrial sector
Total annual energy costs = $150 million to $200 million.
A potential 30% reduction in energy use = $45 million to $60 million savings EVERY YEAR.
Investing in efficiency upgrades will create hundreds of new construction jobs.

The Roundtable joined other advocates in celebrating Gov. Ned Lamont’s 2019 Executive Order #1 strengthening and expanding the state’s Lead By Example program.