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Calling All Local Governments to SPEER's

Industry + Policy Workshop 2024!

Join us in Austin at the Archer Hotel on September 19-20 for this year's SPEER Industry + Policy Workshop! This event is packed with insightful discussions, presentations, and networking opportunities aimed at advancing energy efficiency and sustainability across the region.

Don’t miss our Local Government panel for an insightful discussion, where representatives from utilities and local government agencies share their plans for the upcoming implementation of projects funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This session will explore the transition from grant application to project execution, highlighting the strategic approaches, anticipated challenges, and innovative solutions that these organizations are employing. Panelists will provide an in-depth look at their project timelines, key milestones, stakeholder engagement strategies, and expected impacts on their communities. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the practical aspects of bringing federally funded initiatives to life, ensuring successful outcomes and sustainable progress.

Our agenda will also cover a variety of topics crucial for local governments and energy professionals. From the consumer's role in resiliency and how energy-efficient policies and residential demand response programs can shift demand and enhance resilience, to overcoming skill gaps by addressing local governments' challenges in preparing their communities for a clean energy future and building resiliency.

Take advantage of this opportunity to connect with industry experts, policymakers, and peers in the energy sector, and let’s create change and expand efficiency together. Registration rates will increase 50% after July 31st, and make sure to take advantage of our discounted hotel block. **Book your room by August 29th.

Huge thanks to our sponsors at Daikin | Austin Energy Green Building | Mitsubishi Electric |  Ameresco | CLEAResult | TRC Advanced Energy | Advanced Power Alliance for supporting SPEER's 2024 Industry + Policy Workshop!

Upcoming CELC Webinars & Events

Webinar: Building Operations, Workforce Training, and Navigating Federal Grant Requirements 

July 11th, 1 PM CST

Did you know 30% of energy consumed in commercial and industrial buildings is wasted? And the majority of buildings can reduce their total energy use by 5-30% while fully maintaining, or even improving, comfort and function. This is where the BOC training program can benefit your buildings and municipality.

The field of building operations and facility management is evolving rapidly due to factors such as benchmarking, grid-enhancing technologies (GETs), and a swiftly retiring workforce. Join us to learn more about the Building Operator Certification (BOC), a program addressing the need for maintenance staff training as new technologies enter the market. Renowned for its comprehensive curriculum, BOC is an ideal choice for meeting various federal government grant training requirements in energy efficiency. BOC is the nation’s leading training and credentialing program for building engineers and maintenance personnel and is now aligned with an international standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) – ISO 17024. Graduates make their buildings more comfortable, efficient, environmentally friendly, and save $10,000 annually in utility bills thanks to skills they master in classes. 

In this webinar, we will: 

• Gain insights into the comprehensive curriculum of the BOC program. 

• Understand how BOC meets federal government grant training requirements in energy efficiency. 

• Review case studies and examples of how BOC graduates have improved building performance. 

Speaker: Melanie L Danuser, M.P.A., LEED Green Associate Director of Education & Training 

Resilience Through a West Texas City Lens

July 18th, 10 AM CST

Join us as we explore the unique challenges and opportunities that West Texas cities face in building resilience. This session will delve into how these communities navigate economic, environmental, and social resilience in the face of adversity, and how you can apply these challenges and solutions to your community. 

Speaker: Nicole Ferrini, Climate & Sustainability Officer, City of El Paso 

CELC Virtual Coffee Hour: Brewing Energy Efficiency in Texas Communities 

Come engage with other CELC members, share insights, and explore the possibilities of enhancing energy efficiency in your community. This Virtual Coffee Hour is not just an event – it’s an opportunity to connect, learn, and contribute to the collective efforts of creating sustainable and energy-efficient environments. Let’s brew ideas together over a virtual cup of coffee! 

Date: Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Time: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM 

Interested in attending? Join with  this link and then we will send you the meeting invite series!  *This event is for local government agencies only. 

Share Your Expertise: Call for Webinar Presenters

Unleash your knowledge! We're seeking passionate experts to lead our upcoming webinars. If you're an industry leader with insights to share, we want to hear from you. Join us in inspiring and educating our community. Submit your proposal now!

New Blog: Building Climate Resilience in Texas & Oklahoma Communities

Communities in Texas and Oklahoma are already feeling the impacts of climate change in their everyday lives. Texas, in particular, is vulnerable to a variety of natural hazards, many of which are linked to weather and climate events. In the coming decades, cities in our regions are expected to experience increasingly hot and dry summers. SPEER recently wrapped up a resiliency cohort with 19 individuals, representing communities across our south-central region, as we focused on several key topics essential for building climate resilience. Read our recent blog for a deeper dive into these imperative topics and see what knowledge was gained. We invite you to consider joining SPEER and our Community Efficiency Leadership Coalition, CELC, (it's free!) for an opportunity to get more involved with similar municipalities and the ability to participate in future training and education offerings.

Spotlight on CELC: Member Events and Updates

EV Technician and First Responder Training

On Wednesday, July 24th at 1:00pm, Alamo Area Clean Cities and Communities and Advanced Vehicle Technology Group (AVTG) are holding a free introductory electric vehicle safety webinar. This opportunity will provide critical workforce training to support the transition to electric vehicles, and we strongly encourage attendance for vehicle technicians and first responders! If there is enough interest in this event, AACCC will organize a two-day in-person technical training hosted by AVTG to be held later this year that will provide information and hands-on training on EV basics, safety, and systems for members of the vehicle technician and first responder workforce.

Date: July 24th

Time: 1:00 PM

Register here

Advancing Equitable Home Upgrades with ENERGY STAR and Residential Retrofits for Energy Equity (R2E2) Webinar Series  

This workshop series and resource center is designed to support community-based organizations, small businesses, and local governments in deploying equitable efficient electric home upgrades. Organized by The EPA’s ENERGY STAR Program with the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE)’s Residential Retrofits for Energy Equity initiative, the following topics will be covered and include grant funding for workforce development, addressing health and safety roadblocks, and more:



• August 20: Well-Designed Equitable Home Energy Upgrades: Best Practices and Strategies 
• September 10: Centering Affordability in Low-Income Home Electrification Programs 
• October 8: Incorporating Health and Safety into Home Energy Upgrade Programs 
• November 19: Maximizing incentives for low to no-cost Home Energy Upgrades: Stacking and Braiding 

More info and registration

Energy Efficiency Finance Foundations Webinar Series 

This webinar series is a training for public-sector facilities managers and finance officers to help participants navigate "finance speak", know what questions to ask, and strengthen public sector knowledge of energy efficiency financing to complete building energy upgrades. All sessions are held at 1 PM ET. 

• July 3: Traditional Financing Product Structures 
• July 10: Specialized Financing Products 
• July 17: Technical and Financial Activities after Contract Signing 
• July 24: Engaging with Stakeholders and Partners

Register here

Energy Storage for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction 

This webinar, a presentation of the Energy Storage Technology Advancement Partnership (ESTAP), will feature two different state approaches to reducing emissions with energy storage.

Date: July 30th

Time: 12:00 PM

Learn more and register here 

TARC e-Learning: Empowering Energy Efficiency & Sustainability 

We hope you will join us for part one of a two-part series covering possible funding resources available to regional councils, communities, and other local governments in Texas. For this session, the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) will provide an overview of reimbursable grants available from their office as part of the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) to support efforts in energy efficiency, sustainability, and workforce development. Over $30,000,000 in funding will be used for multiple programs, with the intent of reducing carbon emissions in all sectors of the economy.

This webinar and learning opportunity is in collaboration with and supported by SPEER. Our mission is to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient products and services in Texas and Oklahoma to strengthen local economies, improve health and quality of life, and protect the environment.

Date: July 17th

Time: 2:00 PM

Register here

Secure the Funds: Latest Grant Opportunities Available

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program RFA will provide reimbursable grants to assist states, local governments, and Tribes in implementing strategies to reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions and to improve energy efficiency by financing Energy Efficiency Retrofits. 

Applications Due: July 26, 2024

Application & information link

Seeking Federal Funding: A Guide For Local Governments

The Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), in partnership with Climate Mayors and C40 Cities, developed a resource titled, “Seeking Federal Funding: A Guide for Local Governments.” This resource offers a collection of insights, lessons learned, best practices, and common challenges and pitfalls faced by local applicants in seeking federal funding. It is intended to support local governments in their process of conceiving, partnering, and applying for such funding. Check it out here

What We're Reading: Insights and Inspiration

Oklahoma outshines rival states in energy transition progress - Reuters

Boosting Energy Literacy, Starting with a Community's Schools - Energy Central Power  

Hurricane Beryl: sign of things to come in warming world? - BBC   

How Climate Change is Impacting Human Migration - Columbia Energy Exchange   

How women engineers are boosting the EV charging industry - Power Engineering International 

Scaling Up Support to Reduce Plastic Pollution and Mitigate Climate Change - World Economic Forum  

Career Moves:

Hot Opportunities and Job Openings You Should Know

Energy Finance Expert (Financial Economist) - Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

Senior Research Associate - Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA).