Energy efficiency may be the cheapest, most abundant, and underutilized resource for local economic and community development. Considerable evidence documents that investments in energy efficiency can improve community self-reliance and resilience; save money for households, businesses, anchor institutions, and local governments; create local jobs; extend the life of and reduce the costs and risks of critical infrastructure investments; catalyze ocal economic reinvestment; improve the livability and the local asset value of the builtenvironment; and protect human health and the natural environment through reducing emissions of criteria pollutants and greenhouse gases. Local leadership and commitment to energy efficiency . . .
