ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — North Carolina saved nearly $200 million in taxpayer dollars last fiscal year by cutting energy use in state-owned buildings, with several Western North Carolina institutions, including Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, among the top performers.
The State Energy Office reported that energy-efficiency efforts across state agencies, universities and community colleges saved $196 million from July 2023 to June 2024. The cuts are part of the Utility Savings Initiative, a statewide program that tracks utility use and helps public institutions meet energy-reduction mandates and the goals outlined in Executive Order 80.
Since 2002, the initiative has helped North Carolina avoid more than $2.3 billion in utility costs, officials said…