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17 June 2011 – Despite challenging economic conditions, a landmark survey of nearly 400 mayors in all 50 states has found that energy and sustainability efforts have maintained momentum within cities. The study, prepared for The U.S. Conference of Mayors and sponsored by Siemens, was based on survey research conducted from April to May, 2011, by the international research consultancy GlobeScan.
Among its key findings, the survey noted:
- Three in four cities expect their use of clean energy technologies to increase over the next five years.
- LED/efficient lighting, low-energy building technologies and solar electricity generation are the top three “most promising” technologies for reducing energy use and carbon emissions.
- Mayors are looking to the economic benefits of these clean energy solutions as drivers of their energy strategies.
- For one in three cities, adapting to climate change is already an element of their capital planning or capital improvement programs.
- One-quarter of all cities have already set targets for the use of renewable energy.
According to the study, acknowledging financial restraints, cities are taking full advantage of available federal resources and looking to partner more with the private sector, among others, to continue their energy drives. The full survey report, Clean Energy Solutions for America’s Cities, is now available at: usmayors.org/cleanenergy
“The overwhelming response to this survey – 396 mayors in all 50 states, representing about 74 million people – underscores the strong commitment of the nation’s mayors to clean energy technologies and energy efficiency solutions,” said Conference President Burnsville (MN) Mayor Elizabeth B. Kautz. “Mayors are acting on these commitments, which also support our nation’s greater goals on energy independence and security,” she explained.
“As a company that provides many of today’s technology solutions for cities, we’re pleased how cities are embracing the many economic benefits of sustainable technologies,” said Daryl Dulaney, president and CEO of Siemens Industry, Inc. “Our next challenge is to help cities come up with financing solutions that have minimal budget impact and keep cities on track with their sustainability goals using proven technologies.”
“LED and other efficient lighting sources are the technology of choice for cities aiming to reduce future energy use and climate-harming emissions,” said Conference Vice President Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa. “We know from our experience in Los Angeles that LED streetlights are the way of the future and having a tremendous impact globally. They save money, protect the environment, and create jobs.” The City of Los Angeles is now replacing 140,000 existing streetlight fixtures with LED units in order to save energy by a minimum of 40%, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 40,500 tons per year.
In the area of green buildings, the City of Philadelphia has led the way through … “Making our buildings more energy efficient through the use of new technologies is a clear priority for the nation’s mayors. It is something we can do today, paying dividends to all us well in the future, said Conference Second Vice President Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, whose city is home to the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy-Efficient Buildings.
“The key drivers behind much of this activity are, not surprisingly, economic: to attract new businesses and jobs, reduce energy costs, and more generally, develop a greener economy,” said Tom Cochran, the Conference’s CEO and Executive Director. “Mayors credit energy block grants (EECBG funds) delivering federal resources directly to cities as crucial to the expanded investment partnership between businesses and cities on clean energy technologies and energy efficiency.”
Rob Kerr, Vice President of GlobeScan, which conducted the survey, said, “The survey reaffirms trends that we’re seeing in different countries around the world – that cities are taking the practical lead in pushing national sustainability objectives by actually deploying the technologies today. Sustainability efforts are not going to just go away in tough economic times.”
About the Survey: “Clean Energy Solutions for America’s Cities”
Conducted for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, sponsored by Siemens and designed and fielded by GlobeScan, the online survey covered clean energy solutions for U.S. cities, including an assessment of: attitudes about energy efficiency technologies, progress and barriers in implementing clean energy solutions, expectations for future initiatives, and energy policies and strategies.
Respondents to the survey conducted between April and May 2011, included US mayors and their representatives. In total 396 cities participated in the survey, with one completed survey allowed per city.
GlobeScan managed the full project according to ISO 9001:2008 quality certified processes, adhering to the professional opinion research standards of ESOMAR.
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About the United States Conference of Mayors
The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,210 such cities in the country today. Each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor.
The primary roles of The U.S. Conference of Mayors are to:
- Promote the development of effective national urban/suburban policy;
- Strengthen federal-city relationships;
- Ensure that federal policy meets urban needs;
- Provide mayors with leadership and management tools; and
- Create a forum in which mayors can share ideas and information.
About Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a global electronics and electrical engineering company, and operates in the industry, energy, and healthcare sectors. For more than 160 years, Siemens has built a reputation for leading-edge innovation and the quality of its products, services, and solutions. With 405,000 employees in 190 countries, Siemens reported worldwide sales of $103 billion in fiscal 2010. With its U.S. corporate headquarters in Washington, D.C., Siemens in the USA reported sales of $20 billion and employs approximately 62,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. www.usa.siemens.com
About GlobeScan
GlobeScan is an international opinion research consultancy. Companies, multilateral institutions, governments, and NGOs trust GlobeScan for its unique expertise in reputation research, sustainability, and issues management. GlobeScan provides global organizations with evidence-based insight and advice to help them build strong brands, manage relations with key stakeholders, and define their strategic positioning. GlobeScan conducts research in over 90 countries, is certified to the ISO 9001:2008 standard for its quality management system, and is a signatory to the UN Global Compact. Established in 1987, GlobeScan is an independent, management-owned company with offices in London, Toronto, and San Francisco. www.globescan.com
