Energy and Greenhouse Gas Assessment
Assess the different types of energy use in your community to establish the foundation for an action plan to reduce energy use. As an alternative or complementary strategy, evaluate the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with just local government operations.
RATIONALE
Conventional energy consumption creates a variety of economic, environmental, health and security risks. Reducing conventional energy use and/or switching to lower impact alternatives can reduce or eliminate these risks. An energy and greenhouse gas assessment can identify which areas to target in terms of relative opportunity and cost effectiveness.
Greenhouse gases are a part of the Earth's atmosphere and are both naturally occurring and the result of human chemical processes. The most common greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluourocarbons. These gases trap heat and thus contribute to the warming of the planet. See also CFCS and GREENHOUSE EFFECT.The ability or potential of a physical body to do work. The most common forms of energy are heat, light, mechanical (moving parts), and electrical.
EFFORT REQUIRED
Moderate effort is required. An energy and greenhouse gas assessment involves the identification, collection and formatting of a variety of energy related data from a variety of sources and organizations. Once data collection is completed, there are a variety of tools and guidance plans to assist communities with analysis.
BENEFIT
Establishing a clear baseline of energy consumption in your community helps identify the most effective energy reduction opportunities and provides a clear point against which progress can be measured and reported.
RISKS
There are few risks involved with the assessment of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
ACTION AGENT(S)
- Sustainability Officers
- Interns or consultants (optional)
- Electric and natural gas utilities
- State or regional planning/transportation agencies
- Other significant energy consumers in the community
- All local government departments (local government operations inventory only)
COST
While energy assessments can be conducted entirely by local government staff, there may be costs involved to acquire software or tools to assist with analysis of the data. There are also the possible costs of hiring consultants or the acquisition of certain proprietary data.
