As energy efficiency initiatives are increasingly driven by city governments rather than federal or state agencies, hyper-local efficiency goals are showing success in communities despite limited time and resources for such initiatives.
Local governments and the private sector alike will have to more effectively target efforts toward initiatives that simultaneously meet broader community goals as well as energy savings targets for individual buildings.
To help officials and FMs get a grip on the nuances of new energy policies, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recently launched a web-based resource that connects plans with steps toward real action.
The main goal is to provide local leaders with a series of resources to aid them in selecting the most appropriate policy options for their community.
The new local energy portal consists of three main components:
1) Local Policy Sector Portal
Includes an introduction to topics, links to introductory information and technical assistance resources for each topic area.
2) Local Policy Case Studies
Features real examples of local energy efficiency policies and programs. Many were done using no-cost measures and all provided significant energy and monetary savings. The case studies cover a diverse set of strategies in improving energy efficiency and are searchable by keyword, sector, policy type and state.
3) Local Technical Assistance Toolkit
Consists of primers that help users get started in specific policy areas. Topics include Local Government Facilities and Operations, Water and Wastewater, and Combined Heat and Power. These resources also link to related local policy case studies.
