Resources - Tools & Technical Assistance

The Community Choice Aggregation Guidebook, funded by the California Energy Commission, is now available. Read more »

This page provides information about the Department of Water Resources' updated Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance for use by cities and counties.

The U.S. Department of Energy developed this comprehensive resource to assist local governments and stakeholders in building sustainable local solar markets. The guide introduces a range of policy and program options that have been successfully field tested in cities around the country. The guide describes each policy or program, followed by more information on benefits, implementation tips and options, examples, and additional references and resources.

Clean Cities strives to advance the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local decisions to adopt practices that contribute to the reduction of petroleum consumption. Clean Cities has a network of approximately 90 volunteer coalitions, which develop public/private partnerships to promote alternative fuels and advanced vehicles, fuel blends, fuel economy, hybrid vehicles, and idle reduction.

This tool from EPA provides information that can help you choose the cleanest and most fuel-efficient vehicles.

The CBSC Web site has a variety of resources, including the 2008 California Green Building Code (CalGreen Code) and links to online access to the complete state building codes and other related codes.

This program of the non-profit Building Industry Institute provides guidelines and certification systems, and encourages voluntary partnerships between builders and local governments to build cost-effective, green homes that benefit homebuyers and the community at large through improvements in energy efficiency, indoor air quality and comfort, on-site waste recycling, and water and wood conservation.

Build It Green is a non-profit membership organization providing green building guidelines and rating systems (such as the GreenPoint Rated home rating system), as well as training, tools, technical expertise, and partnership opportunities for a variety of key stakeholders, including public agencies, to accelerate the adoption of green building practices.

The program offers consumer-oriented information and tools for understanding the long-term issues facing the state’s water system and practical tips for reducing water use indoors and outdoors. Save Our Water is a joint effort by the Association of California Water Agencies and the California Department of Water Resources in response to severe water challenges facing the state.

The California Registry serves as a voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) registry to protect and promote early actions to reduce GHG emissions by organizations. The California Registry provides leadership on climate change by developing and promoting credible, accurate, and consistent GHG reporting standards and tools for organizations to measure, monitor, third-party verify and reduce their GHG emissions consistently across industry sectors and geographical borders. The California Climate Action Registry is a private non-profit organization originally formed by the State of California.

ICLEI is an association founded in 1990 of 1100 local governments from 67 countries who are committed to sustainable development. ICLEI provides technical consulting, training, and information services to build capacity, share knowledge, and support local government in the implementation of sustainable development at the local level.

For communities seeking financial help with greening public buildings, the California Energy Commission offers low-interest loans up to $3 million per project for incorporation of energy-saving components in planned buildings or retrofits to existing facilities. Free technical assistance is also available to cities and counties for energy efficiency planning for public facilities.

The Local Government Operations Protocol is the first in a suite of protocols to assist California cities, counties, and other local government organizations in quantifying their greenhouse gas emissions. It provides the methodologies to inventory baseline greenhouse gas emissions and track progress over time. Additional protocols will be developed to estimate community-scale emissions and quantify greenhouse gas reductions.

The USGS California Water Science Center brings many capabilities and tools to the understanding, management and protection of California's water and other natural resources.

The Customer’s Guide to Solar Power Purchase Agreements: Solar Power Without the Upfront Costs for Organizations and Businesses, Rahus Institute, October 2008

The California Air Resources Board is developing a climate change program for mobile sources that will reduce carbon emissions from motor vehicles sold and operated in California.

This site was developed as a resource for car buyers to find clean technology vehicles.