Formed in November of 2006, the committee was originally called the Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee, with a mission to “promote ways for the government and residents of Kennebunk to reduce fossil fuel use, resulting in lower energy bills and greater use of sustainable energy sources.”

On August 30, 2022, the Committee changed its name to the Energy Efficiency & Sustainability Committee (EESC) as some of the committee's focus has shifted to sustainability and climate change initiatives. 

Definition of "sustainability" as approved at the EESC's November 17, 2022 meeting:

*Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends on our natural environment. To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations (based upon the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) definition).