美國第四大溫室氣體排放城市休士頓，即將成為美國第一座改裝市政大樓以減少能源與水資源消耗的城市。這項計畫是「柯林頓氣候計劃」（Clinton Climate Initiative）的一部份，預計因提高能源使每年可省下數百萬美元，並減少大量碳排放。
這項計畫也著重在加強緊急反應設備的抗災性與被動存活率，強化大樓在大範圍停電、缺少暖氣燃料或水，或異常熱浪來襲時，維持關鍵的存活條件。
柯林頓氣候計劃中的能源效率建築重整計畫集合了一些世界級的能源服務公司、金融機構和城市，來減少現存的大樓的能源消耗量。「我們保證完成這些更換計畫，並為休士頓市建立最佳永續營運的範例。它將改善我們的生活品質、保護環境，並節省納稅人的錢。這是正確的事情。」市長比爾‧懷特說。
目前，西門子建造技術部門已獲得予一份改裝約550萬平方英尺城市設備的合約。「西門子肯定休士頓在柯林頓氣候計劃中的努力。我們保證引進我們全套的經驗、專案管理和技術來協助休士頓實現其環境保護的目標。」西門子美國總裁，喬治‧諾倫說。
西門子工程師和技師將分析多種永續且環保的提議，以找出可節約能源並降低溫室氣體排放的最佳的行動方案。
西門子和休士頓市剛剛完成多達數百萬美元的第3 階段內部照明改裝計畫，每年可幫該城市節省約5.32百萬千瓦小時的電力。這項合作計畫使休士頓政府從當地Center Point電廠回收超過25萬美元的折扣。
單就內部照明改裝計畫為例，每年省下的電力了相當於減少2,642公噸溫室氣體排放。
在與公共工程部門簽訂的新合約中，西門子亦將致力於使用能源效益極高的LED燈來改裝休士頓大部份的交通號誌。 「我們正在這座城市著手控制成本與節約能源。以LED燈炮改裝交通號誌為例，此舉終將為我們節省數百萬美元」懷特市長說。
早在2007年市政咨文演說中，懷特市長邀請商業界在未來3年內加入市政府降低能源消耗的行動。「我們的目標是將休士頓打造成世界的節能首都。這個目標也將提供相當好的商業機會」市長說。
Houston is about to become the first U.S. city to retrofit municipal buildings to reduce energy and water consumption as part of the Clinton Climate Initiative. The energy efficiency improvements are projected to save enough electricity annually to create millions of dollars in savings and lower greenhouse gas emissions from America's fourth largest city.
The project also will focus on making emergency response facilities disaster-resistant and passively survivable, strengthening the buildings' capacity to maintain critical life-support conditions in the event of extended loss of power, heating fuel, or water, or in the event of extraordinary heat spells.
The Clinton Climate Initiative's Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit program brings together some of the world's largest energy service companies, financial institutions, and cities to reduce energy consumption in existing buildings.
"We're committed to making these changes and institutionalizing best sustainability practices in the way the city of Houston operates," says Mayor Bill White. "It will improve our quality of life, protect the environment, save us money, and it's simply the right thing to do."
Siemens Building Technologies has been awarded a contract to retrofit some 5.5 million square feet of city facilities.
"Siemens applauds Houston's effort in partnership with CCI," says George Nolen, president of Siemens USA. "We are committed to bringing the full depth of our experience, project management and technology to help Houston attain its goals in environmental protection."
Siemens engineers and technicians will analyze a range of sustainable and green initiatives to find the best ways to conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gases.
Siemens and the City of Houston have just finished the third phase of an extensive multi-million dollar demand-side interior lighting retrofit program which helped the city avoid using some 5,320,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. This allowed Houston officials to receive more than $250,000 in rebate dollars from the local utility, CenterPoint Energy.
The interior lighting retrofit program alone resulted in enough annual electricity savings to avoid the equivalent of emitting 2,642 tons per year of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Siemens will also be busy retrofitting the majority of Houston's traffic signals with energy efficient light-emitting diode, LED, lamps under a new contract with the Department of Public Works.
"We are doing many things throughout the city to manage our costs and save energy," said Mayor White. "Replacing traffic signals with LED lights, for example, will end up saving us millions of dollars."
In the 2007 State of the City address, Mayor White challenged the business community to join the city government in slowing energy consumption over the next three years.
"Our goal is to make Houston the energy conservation capital of the world," the mayor said. "It makes good business sense."
