In December 2017, Better Buildings Residential Network member the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was named the winner of the Georgetown University Energy Prize. This was the culmination of a two-year, nationwide competition that brought together 50 communities to rethink the way America's small- to medium-sized towns, cities, and counties use energy.
A panel of judges from academia and industry evaluated each community’s approach to innovative, replicable, and scalable energy efficiency programs. The communities were scored on potential for replication; likely future performance; equitable access, community and stakeholder engagement; education; and overall quality and success. The winner was selected based on a combination of energy performance scores and the creation and advancement of new best practices over the course of the two-year energy-saving period.
Fargo built a program that brought together the community through partnerships, leveraged local assets, and utilized a strong benchmarking system. As the winner, Fargo will receive a prize package that includes in-kind support toward the goal of obtaining $5 million in financing for an energy efficiency dream project, as well as workshops and education opportunities.