This is not the most recent release. For the most up-to-date version, click here.
The Local Energy Efficiency Self-Scoring Tool (Version 1.0 BETA) gives small and medium- sized communities the ability to score their energy efficiency efforts by evaluating locally-enacted programs and policies across local government operations, community-wide initiatives, building policies, energy and water utility policies, and transportation policies. Through the scoring process, adapted from the 2013 City Energy Efficiency Scorecard, and resulting analysis, communities’ energy efficiency efforts can be benchmarked against other similarly-sized communities that have shown leadership on energy efficiency. Not only does this benchmarking put communities’ numerical scores into perspective, but it also introduces communities to innovative energy practices that have been implemented and proven successful in small communities. The analysis in the Self-Scoring Tool will provide actionable guidance on which metrics to target to improve energy efficiency performance while also highlighting policy areas where communities excel. This tool was designed to be flexible and simple enough to use so that a variety of interested parties, from the experienced energy professional to the interested citizen stakeholder, can derive value from its use. For example, sustainability officers can use it to help inform future policy decisions and prioritize future investments, while nonprofit organizations can discover new energy efficiency programs and policy types for which they can advocate or work to implement. Taken together, this tool provides a wide range of stakeholders an easy-to-use method to obtain a comprehensive view of the programs and policies in place to increase energy efficiency in their community as well as the ability to learn from and compare efforts with other communities.
