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Live from the SPEER Newsroom:
- Save the Date! Earth Week Workshop & Happy Hour
- Next BOC Course: Coming Up!
- Upcoming Events & Webinars
- Noteworthy
- What We're Reading
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Save the Date!
Earth Week Workshop & Happy Hour
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When: April 21st, 2-6 PM
Where: Scholz Garten, Austin
CleanTX and SPEER are partnering for an Earth Week Workshop & Happy Hour focused on Community-First Grid Expansion.
As data centers and hyperscalers drive unparalleled electricity demand in Texas, utilities face mounting pressure to connect new load faster than traditional grid infrastructure can be planned and built. The need for innovative, near-term solutions is urgent. Our two panel session will explore how strategically reducing residential energy use, shifting load, and investing in energy efficiency, demand response, and distributed energy resources can unlock grid capacity, accelerate data center interconnections, and deliver shared benefits for utilities, communities, and consumers through collaborative, community-focused energy strategies. We will provide ICC CEU's for workshop sessions.
Registration and sponsorship options here. Hope to see you there!
| Next BOC Course: Coming Up! | |
The Building Operator Certification (BOC) program has been in existence for over 25 years and trained more than 36,000 professionals, with 21,000 graduates successfully earning their BOC credential across the United States. Building energy efficiency efforts are expected to drive considerable job growth over the next decade, though a skills gap remains for energy efficiency roles. Age phase-outs and lack of qualified candidates have led to a shortage of individuals with the proper training to manage and operate emerging smart technology and high efficiency buildings.
To maximize the return on investments into energy efficient building systems, the demand for credentialed, well-trained professionals will remain high. Measures such as these can reduce energy consumption within a building by as much as 20% while also optimizing building equipment performance and occupant comfort.
SPEER is excited to be kicking off another full BOC training course beginning on February 10th. If you missed this upcoming opportunity, we will be offering another course! Interested in enrolling? Sign up here and receive updates about future offerings.
| | Upcoming Events & Webinars | | |
CELC Virtual Coffee Hour: Energizing Connections
February 3 (TODAY) @ 9:30 am - 10:30 am
SPEER’s CELC team will host its regular monthly virtual coffee hour. Join for a 10-minute presentation on boosting energy efficiency in our communities followed by an open group discussion and thought sharing. Learn more on our event page and see our current CELC members.
| | Webinar: Using HomeBoost to Document Energy Improvements & Support IECC Chapter 5 | |
February 10 @ 10:30 am
Join the HomeBoost team for a practical webinar showing how building officials and energy verifiers can use the HomeBoost platform to document energy improvements in existing homes and support the intent of IECC Chapter 5 (Existing Buildings).
HomeBoost streamlines field data collection and reporting, making it easy to show how homes become more energy-efficient after upgrades such as air sealing, insulation, and HVAC improvements. The platform captures pre- and post-improvement conditions and generates clear, visual reports that support verification, compliance discussions, and homeowner communication.
Register here.
| | HARC/TEPRI/SPEER Weatherization Coordination Convening: From Insights to Action | | |
February 13 @ 10:00 am- 1:00 pm (coffee and lunch included)
Location: Austin Energy Headquarters 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX, United States
Join us as we transform stakeholder feedback into practical solutions. Building on insights from our first convening, this collaborative session will focus on co-designing the workflows, coordination strategies, and partnerships needed to create a more connected weatherization system in Central Texas.
More info & registration here.
| | Webinar: Understanding the 2024 IECC Energy Rating Index – Section R406 | | |
February 17 @ 10:30 am
The Energy Rating Index (ERI) in the 2024 IECC is often misunderstood, inconsistently enforced, or incorrectly treated as a program rather than a code compliance path. This one-hour technical webinar provides a clear, code-only breakdown of Section R406, with a focus on how building officials, plan reviewers, and inspectors should review, approve, and verify ERI compliance in the field.
Register here.
| | CELC Webinar - Weatherization & Home Energy Financing: Practical Solutions for Texas Families | |
February 19 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Clean Energy Fund of Texas (CEFTX), in partnership with SPEER, will host an informative webinar on practical, affordable pathways to weatherization and home energy improvements for Texas homeowners. This session will provide an overview of the most impactful residential weatherization solutions.
CEFTX will also present the flexible financing tools available through their homeowner initiatives, designed to help families, especially low to moderate-income households, access essential upgrades without the barriers of traditional credit requirements.
Register here.
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February 25 @ 11:00 am- 12:00 pm
As data center growth continues across our region, policymakers, utilities, and local communities must seek solutions to curb exponential energy consumption. Targeted energy efficiency deployed near data centers can deliver measurable peak load relief, economic benefits, and reduce community concerns, making the rapid growth of data centers more palatable.
Presenter: Doug Presley, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs, AnnDyl Policy Group
Register here.
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SPEER/CAPCOG Workshop – Master Your Energy Data: Save Money & Support Clean Air | |
February 25 @ 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Where: 6800 Burleson Rd, Bldg. 310, Suite 165 (Pecan Room), Austin, TX, 78744
Join the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) and SPEER for an interactive workshop on managing energy data and understanding its connection to regional air quality. Whether you’re required to report energy use or simply want to reduce costs, you’ll gain valuable insights on utility consumption management, access helpful resources, and learn from real-world case studies. ICC credits available!
Space is limited. Please RSVP to secure your spot. For questions or dietary restrictions, contact Ramon Zarate at rzarate@capcog.org.
Register here.
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Keynote Speaker Announced: TRACS 2026 Summit/TEA-UP Conference
Meeting the Moment: Shaping Tomorrow Together
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March 1-3, 2026
Keynote: Jaime González, Founding Executive Director of the University of Houston Institute for Ecological Resilience
SPEER is partnering with the Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability (TRACS) to facilitate this interactive session and learn about the latest trends in energy efficiency, how to develop resilient systems in response to climate challenges, and effective methods for fostering a culture of sustainability within your institution. Drive meaningful change in your academic communities.
Huge thanks to this year's sponsors: Johnson Controls, Moonshot, Texas Disposal Systems, Texas A&M, Metco Engineering, & utiliVisor
Head here for more information and register today!
| New SPEER Blog - Energy Efficiency: Texas' Most Powerful Tool for Grid Resilience | |
It would be easy to say that the Texas grid once again dodged a bullet with this week's winter storm, BUT, the truth is, many positive changes have been implemented within our great state to make sure that another Winter Storm Uri doesn’t occur again.
With that said, there is still a long way to go. Energy efficiency can play a pivotal role in solving some of the biggest challenges our south-central region is experiencing: resource adequacy, or grid reliability, and resiliency during our summer heat waves and increasing winter storms.
Read some thoughts on Winter Storm Fern and more in our new blog.
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Solar United Neighbors Switch Together Campaign
In Spring 2026, Solar United Neighbors is launching a Switch Together residential group-buy solar and battery program in Texas. Participating local governments currently include Dallas, Harris County, Waco, El Paso, and others.
Through the Switch Together program, SUN partners with local governments and community organizations to bring a rooftop solar program to residents packed with consumer protection, 15 - 20% discounted price on solar and battery systems, vetted installers, and customer support through the entire process.
Recognizing that the cost of solar and battery storage can be a barrier, SUN is also committed to making renewable energy more affordable, transparent, and accessible for everyone. SUN offers free educational webinars and in-person events designed to guide residents through the process of going solar.
The deadline for municipalities to participate is April 1, 2026. There is no cost to participate. Reach out to TxTeam@solarunitedneighbors.org or head here for more info.
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Need to Catch Up?
Missed our latest policy newsletter or recent Local Government, Oklahoma, or Energy Code newsletters? Browse past issues of our newsletters and subscribe to other distribution lists here.
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