The Energy Efficiency in a Commune. The Formal and Legal Requirements with Examples of a Good Practice

The energy efficiency together with the utilization of renewable energy resources are considered to be crucial parts of a transition to the low-carbon economy. Their development can involve various administrative levels, nevertheless, the tremendous potential is assigned to a commune. Thus, the paper presents the most important formal and legal regulations that have an influence on the improvement of the energy efficiency, considering mainly obligations arising directly from the Energy Law and the Energy Efficiency Act. Moreover, the importance of the effective energy management in a commune is strongly emphasized, as the key for the low-carbon and resource-efficient economy. In the instance of the development of the energy efficient economy, many benefits are pointed out, and in case of the collaboration between neighboring communes, they are often multiplied at that. The particular examples of projects that have been realized in Polish communes of Niepolomice (the installation of renewable energy systems for public and private buildings) and Charasznica (the modernization of the street lighting), together with the indication of costs and profits relevant to the investment in the energy efficiency, as well as the environmental and socio-economic aspects, are also presented.