The Aon Center has earned an Energy Star qualification from the EPA. (Tribune photo by John Lee)

By Wailin Wong | Chicago has moved up in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s annual ranking of U.S. metropolitan areas with energy efficient buildings, climbing to No. 5 in 2009 from No. 6 in 2008.

Chicago has 134 buildings that have earned an Energy Star qualification from the EPA, awarded to facilities that meet certain criteria on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Local buildings with this distinction include McDonald’s campus office building in Oak Brook, the Aon Center in Chicago and King Lab Magnet School in Evanston, the EPA said.

According to the EPA, the amount of emissions prevented by Chicago’s
Energy Star buildings represent the electricity usage of 44,500 homes.

This was the second year of the EPA’s city rankings. Los Angeles nabbed
the top spot for both years. Washington D.C., San Francisco and Denver
ranked ahead of Chicago for 2009.