"'Civic cores' are outlined as representing the best approach to creating public-private partnerships for energy and perhaps for other infrastructures like water, waste, and even transportation and telecom sectors." "Such agile energy systems are being implemented randomly now in many cities, regions and countries throughout the world. This new paradigm for both energy efficiency and reliability is in sharp contrast to the brittle centralized energy grid systems created. Market forces can then bring into communities and nation-states a range of business opportunities, from energy conservation to on-site building power toward energy independence. Cities and regions can then rely upon their own inherent regional fuel sources. The role of government must continue to set goals, standards, rules in order to oversee market forces and enforce community environmental and societal values."--BOOK JACKET.