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In this newsletter:
- Upcoming Webinars + Trainings
- State Climate Scorecards
- Smart Energy Education Career Day
- Subscribe! SPEER's YouTube Channel Reaches 1,000 followers
- Free Local Govt Training Working Group
- What We're Reading
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The SPEER team wants to wish you very Happy New Year! May 2024 bring you joy, success, and many memorable moments. As we wish you all the best in the coming year, we hope together we can make it one filled with energy efficiency, sustainable choices, and positive impacts on the environment. Let us all contribute to a greener and more sustainable future. | |
Upcoming Webinars & Events | |
Webinar: Spray Foam Insulation - When is it Correctly Installed?
We are seeing more and more residential and commercial buildings using spray foam insulation to meet the energy code. Unlike fiberglass batts, applied foam does not contain an R-value mark that’s observable for inspection. Join us and let’s discuss things to look for and verify to ensure the building envelope meets the requirements of the Energy Code.

When: January 4th, 2023 @ 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM (CST)
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Energy Reporting Workshop
The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and SPEER are hosting a FREE in-person workshop in Arlington to learn about the Local Government Energy Reporting Requirement, a state mandate to report and reduce electricity consumption for cities and counties. Attendees will gain helpful information and tips to successfully report in early 2024. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn about how to comply with the state mandate and lower your operational costs. **Lunch will be provided.
When: January 10, 12:00pm - 2:30pm (CST)
Audience: This workshop is for all political subdivisions in local government, state agencies, and institutes of higher education in the affected counties of the region required to submit an annual report to SECO. Attendees include county commissioners, county administrators, city managers, city secretaries, county clerks, and special district secretaries, from organizations across the DFW region.
Speaker: Shaun Auckland, SPEER's Local Government Program Manager
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While many states seem to be heading towards a clean energy future, the majority still have room to drastically increase achievements. Texas is no exception and has immense room to improve greenhouse gas emissions produce by the building sector. Adopting more energy efficient policies as well as stronger building codes is a good place to start. Explore the emissions, economic, and health impacts of clean energy policies for Texas and other leading states with the State Climate Scorecard - a project of the US Program State Policy Initiative at RMI and part of an effort to support states in achieving their climate goals.These scorecards can help states and stakeholders identify which sectors and sub-sectors require additional attention to achieve climate targets.
View other State Solutions Graphics which illustrate the technology and infrastructure elements in four key sectors — in electricity, industry, transportation, and buildings — and how they combine to transform the whole energy economy.
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S.E.E. Your Future Career Day | |
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Join SPEER at St. Philip’s College for KLRN’s third annual Smart Energy Education (S.E.E.) Your Future Career Day, a STEM-Focused Career Day Event, on Saturday, February 24! During this event San Antonio's KLRN seeks organizations aligned with STEM, career readiness, and trades around STEM-focused work. Come and share more about your STEM-focused organization and your career at this event as a vendor or career day speaker, and/or by leading a STEM activity for students of all ages. Everyone is welcome to attend this free, in-person event and you can expect family-friendly STEM activities, career day speakers, STEM education resources for all ages, and more!
Find more details below and on our event calendar:
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Date: February 24, 2024
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Time: 1pm - 4pm
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Vendor set up: 12pm-1pm and Tear down: 4pm-5pm
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Event Address: St. Philip's College, 1801 Martin Luther King Drive, San Antonio, TX 78203
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Contact us: rsalinas@klrn.org ; education@klrn.org
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SPEER's YouTube Channel Reaches 1,000+ Subscribers! | |
Thanks to everyone who helped us reach over 1,000 subscribers for our YouTube channel! We're thrilled to be able to create this value resource filled with over 160 recordings of past webinar and training offerings which cover a wide range of in-depth efficiency and sustainability topics. Head over and and dive into vital energy and efficiency issues such as energy codes, sustainability, policy updates, HVAC systems and more. | |
Join SPEER's Free Local Government Training Working Group | |
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SPEER is developing training for local governments to use as a resource for staff transitions and provide in-depth information on workforce development initiatives to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals in the energy and sustainability sector. Modules in this training program will focus on energy efficiency, federal/state rules, and sustainability methods and establishing a dedicated platform to ensure accessibility and effectiveness. Participants will acquire new skills and knowledge relevant to their roles in local government and will receive preparation for responding to emergencies, economic shifts, and changing demographics.
Well-trained staff can deliver better services to the community, increasing community satisfaction and achieving cost savings through improved resource allocation. This can make employees feel more connected to the positive impact they have, enhancing their job satisfaction and desire to stay. This cohort will run from January – August 2024. Interested in learning more and participating?

We invite you to fill out our interest form.
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Missed our last policy edition newsletter covering important grid and energy topics including ERCOT Cancels Additional Winter Capacity RFP, Public Utility Commission of Texas' TX Energy Fund, and the Railroad Commission Energy Conservation Program Rulemaking? Review past local government, energy code, and policy newsletters here where you can also update your email distribution list preferences. | | | | |
