2. The Green Business Challenge
Approach
• A friendly, voluntary competition among
businesses that aims to reduce waste,
energy use, and water use.
• Performance data in energy, water and
waste are tracked over a one-year
period.
• Highest achievers are recognized by
community leaders.
• The program is very adaptable and
may target offices and commercial
buildings, or the general business
community.
3. Green Business Challenge Benefits
• Engages the business community in climate action
and energy efficiency
• Raises awareness and educates the community
about sustainability and energy or climate goals
• Program that can produce measurable results
• Adaptable and replicable model with proven success
4. E
Jurisdiction Name of Program Launch Date
Arlington County, VA Arlington Green Games October 2010
Charleston, SC Charleston Green Business Challenge August 2010
Chicago, IL Chicago Green Office Challenge February 2009
Houston, TX Houston Green Office Challenge September 2010
Saint Louis, MO St. Louis Green Business Challenge February 2010
Port of San Diego, CA Port Green Business Challenge January 2011
Westchester County NY Westchester Green Business Challenge December 2009
Chula Vista, CA Chula Vista Clean Business Challenge October 2011
Bellevue, WA Bellevue Green Business Challenge November 2011
Austin, TX Austin Green Business Leaders Program March 2012
Triangle J COG, NC Triangle J Regional Green Business Challenge April 2012
5. Achievements
Chicago just completed awards ceremony for its second
year of the Green Office Challenge.
• Nearly 150 participating property manager and tenant companies.
• Reduced electricity consumption by more than 124 million kwh.
• Kept more than 85,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere.
• Saved more than $17 million by reducing electricity use.
Photo credit: anneh632 via Flickr Creative Commons.
6. Achievements
Houston innovated by
introducing competition between
different business districts as
well as between individual
businesses
Photo credit: Richard J. Carson
• Participants scored an average of 41% better on
their Challenge Year Survey than on their Baseline
Year Survey.
7. Achievements
Decorah, IA: Winneshiek Energy District
• Proved Challenge model can
work in small town/rural area
(county population 20,000)
• Over 50 participating businesses
8. Green Business Challenge Online Tool
• Online “cloud-based” platform
• Online scorecard and utility data collection
• Seamlessly integrates with local Green Business
Challenge websites
• Eliminates the need for multiple Excel documents and
tools
• Create reports and results from participant data
9. On the Horizon
Challenge Set for Growth in United States
• New online tool
• National competition between businesses
or cities
• Network to share implementation
successes
Going International
• Goal to assist cities in Europe and Mexico
to launch challenges
10. For More Information
Michael Schmitz
Executive Director, ICLEI USA
michael.schmitz@iclei.org
Eli Yewdall
Program Officer, ICLEI USA
eli.yewdall@iclei.org
