Operations and techniques for energy conservation by local governments

Abstract

One of the most significant event of the recent past has been the 1973-74 Arab oil embargo. This event more than any other has illuminated the fact that energy resources are limited and the cost of these resources will tend to increase fairly rapidly in the near future. One of the sectors in America most severely impacted by this"Energy Crisis'' is local governments. Local governments are in the unique position of being mandated to serve the public while at the same time operating and maintaining publicly owned buildings and equipment. Local government administrators are more often finding themselves required to make energy conservation decisions with a significant amount of experience in management procedures, but little or no experience in evaluating technical energy conservation data.

This document was written in an attempt to provide local government administrators with necessary energy conservation information in such a manner that the body of knowledge of planning and management is integrated with technical energy conservation information. It includes discussions of energy conservation actions in the areas of administration, public buildings, fleets public services and community planning. These discussions include a good deal of technical data but this information is presented within a management and planning framework geared toward helping an administrator evaluate and implement conservation actions.