# Energy efficiency and community resilience: making the connection to keep the lights on and our homes warm

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/11/energy-efficiency-and-community-resilience-making-the-connection-to-keep-the-lights-on-and-our-homes-warm/
- Published: 2019-11-12T00:18:23-05:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

#### **_By David Ribeiro , Research Analyst from ACEEE_**

Communities face a growing number of stresses that pose risks to their energy systems
and economies. These include [aging infrastructure](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/04/collaborating-for-a-brighter-more-resilient-energy-future-in-puerto-rico/)
in need of costly maintenance upgrades and severe weather events. Energy efficiency
is a strategy-albeit not a broadly recognized one-to enhance the community resilience
of energy systems served.

One example of community resilience is the role that CHP played during Superstorm
Sandy. All keeping the power on at critical facilities. As well as including hospitals
and universities, when 8.5 million customers lost power. But efficiency could also
be key to community resilience. Especially in less obvious ways, including helping
communities to weather economic stresses.

For example, natural gas customers in Massachusetts are paying more on their bills
this winter. All because insufficient transmission infrastructure in the state is
leading to congestion in the transmission system. Natural gas efficiency programs
would help natural gas customers. It would help them avoid paying high congestion
prices. As well as allow them to spend more on other potential needs. As a result,
further improving community [resilience](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/12/blu-homes-built-first-home-shelter-island-climate-resilience/).

#### 󠀁[⌊image⌉⌊image⌉󠀁[

#### Communities that embrace energy efficiency are more “resource resilient.”

That is,[ energy](https://greenlivingguy.com/2022/08/10-largest-wind-project-development-2022/)
efficiency reduces a community’s natural resources demands, enabling it to instead
spend its income on needs that directly benefit the local economy, including other
resilience measures. Take energy efficiency improvements in homes.

#### They make communities more resilient in several ways.

First of all by spending on efficiency creates more economic activity and jobs. 
Also buildings have increased economic value, durability, and safety in case of 
disaster. So energy savings from improvements means fewer emissions of greenhouse
gases and other pollutants. Thereby improving public health; and smaller and less
volatile energy bills. Finally, this allows households to spend their money in more
beneficial ways…

To continue reading this blog post, visit: [https://aceee.org/blog/2015/02/energy-efficiency-and-community-resil](https://aceee.org/blog/2015/02/energy-efficiency-and-community-resil)

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

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