The enduring nature of local government decisions can be seen in the lifespan of the physical elements that make up a community. Some examples of the lifespan of community assets are:
| Community Element | Typical Lifespan (years) |
| Subdivisions and roads | 75-200 |
| Buildings | 50-100 |
| Municipal infrastructure | 20-100 |
| Landscape | 10-100 |
| Systems and equipment | 5-20 |
| Vehicles | 5-15 |
Shaping energy decisions
Local governments influence approximately 45 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in BC. Elected local government officials, planners, engineers, and developers affect energy through a myriad of long-lived decisions about community and regional growth, urban form, transportation and infrastructure, local energy generation, and building construction and retrofits.Land use decisions can have wide-ranging implications for energy use and resulting local government finances, greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, community livability, and other local priorities.
Planning with energy in mind can mean substantial economic, environmental, and social benefits for the community
