We recently made some upgrades to our home’s heating and cooling system. It wasn’t cheap, but we project it will save enough money on energy bills over time to recoup the cost and then some.

It’s time for our nation to take a similar approach.

To its credit, this Administration appears committed to improving American energy resilience by shoring up our nation’s ability to provide power for generations to come. On Inauguration Day, President Trump made a powerful statement about America’s energy future by signing an Executive Order called Unleashing American Energy. In addition, Secretary-level efforts to streamline permitting for energy infrastructure projects underscore a strong commitment to securing our nation’s energy future.

But supply is only one side of the equation. To fully realize the vision of a secure and resilient energy future, we must couple increased supply with an equally ambitious commitment to reduce demand through common sense improvements in energy efficiency.

And the low hanging fruit for energy efficiency? The building sector.

Buildings are the largest energy-consuming sector in the United States, accounting for about 37% of total energy use, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Homes, offices, hospitals, schools… America’s building stock demands massive amounts of energy.

Unfortunately, a lot of that energy is wasted due to outdated building practices.

The opportunity for energy and cost savings is enormous. Improving the energy performance of existing buildings – and ensuring new construction meets higher efficiency standards – can significantly reduce energy consumption, ease pressure on the electric grid, and lower utility bills for families and businesses. For example: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that energy efficiency upgrades can cut building energy use by up to 30% or more – delivering immediate and long-term benefits to homeowners/renters and the American economy. Incentives like the federal 25C tax credit, which provides up to $3,200 annually for qualified home energy improvements, help make these upgrades more affordable and accessible for millions of households.

One of the most effective tools to realize these savings is up-to-date energy codes for buildings. These codes establish minimum energy efficiency performance for new construction (and major renovations), which ensures that homes and buildings are designed from the start to use less energy. According to the DOE Energy Codes Program, buildings constructed under the latest model energy codes can achieve energy savings of up to 40% compared to codes from just 15 years ago.

These energy/cost savings are widely available through the use of readily available, American-made building products, such as high-performance foam plastic insulation. A good example: a tighter building “envelope” – enabled through foam insulation, air sealants, and moisture barriers – helps lower energy costs, makes our building stock more resilient, and makes homes more comfortable.

Every dollar invested in building energy efficiency returns multiple benefits: reduced peak electricity demand, improved comfort, better indoor air quality, disaster resilience, and reduced energy costs.

We can build a more affordable, resilient, and secure energy future. But we must invest in both sides of the equation: the energy we generate and how wisely we consume it.

Focusing on both supply and demand can result in a bigger (and more comfortable) return on investment.