According to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, buildings use about one-third of the world's energy and, if this trend continues, will become the world's primary energy users by 2025. AEP operates more than 400 facilities in the United States, giving us an opportunity to demonstrate the value and cost-effectiveness of energy efficiency within our own buildings.
Through the Clinton Global Initiative, we committed to invest approximately $100 million during the next five years to build or update AEP facilities using the U. S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building rating system. AEP completed construction in early 2008 on a new facility in Ohio that will seek LEED "silver" certification and will use 15 percent less energy and 20 percent less water than comparable non-LEED buildings. We will also apply LEED standards to renovations or new construction of service centers in Indiana, Texas and Arkansas. Some stakeholders have asked us to consider Green Globes as an alternative to LEED, which we will evaluate.
