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In this Newsletter:
- Energy Codes + Legislative Update
- Upcoming code webinars
- Call Energy Code Ambassadors
- SPEER Annual Workshop
- New Member
- 2021 IECC Energy Code Training
- Randy hits the Road; Where is he heading
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What we're reading & past webinar recaps
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Well.... maybe next legislative session! | |
Gov. Abbott has vetoed SB 2453, a bill proposed by Senator Jose Menendez and Rep. Ana Hernandez, which aimed to adopt stringent energy efficiency standards for new buildings in Texas. Despite receiving widespread support from environmental and construction bodies, the bill was vetoed as a side effect of an unrelated political dispute over property taxes. The bill intended to allow the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) to implement the 2021 IECC and the Energy Chapter of the 2021 IRC offering 5-10% more efficiency than the current state code. Environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Environment Texas criticized the veto, citing the additional strain it would put on the grid, the increase in pollution, and higher costs for consumers. The standards proposed by the bill could have saved Texas consumers $4.3 billion and prevented 45 million tons of pollution over the next 30 years. In response to the veto, proponents are calling for the issue to be reconsidered in a future special session. Head over to our Policy page for a recap of the 88th Texas Legislative session: covering all things grid, energy efficiency, equity, building codes, and more. The good, the bad, and the not-so-terrible | |
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Code Requirements for HVAC? We've Been Doing this for 39 years (Rerun)
Sometimes all you need to know is how they did it in the past to do it right today. When it comes to HVAC installation, nothing could be further from the truth. “That is the way I’ve always done it” is not a good reason to keep doing it that way. Better thermal envelopes, known infiltration and duct leakage, more sophisticated equipment, and a variety of other factors make it more important than ever to install code-compliant HVAC systems. Unfortunately, code-compliant HVAC is the exception rather than the rule. Code Officials must step up and demand properly designed and installed HVAC systems.
*Note this is a re-run and originally aired in August of 2021. The presenter was Brett Dillion from the Dillion Group.
When: 10:00 AM Thursday, July 20th (1.5 hours)
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Electrical and Lighting Control Requirements for the IECC
Industry experts, Harold Jepsen from Legrand and Bryan Holland from NEMA, highlight the requirements for lighting and lighting controls for commercial applications for IECC compliance. We’ll look at the requirements and how and why these are needed and how compliance is met through proper product selection.
When: 10:00 AM Friday, July 28th (1.5 hours)
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For all upcoming webinars, trainings, workshops, and other educational events please visit or bookmark our calendar events page to stay up to date on our offerings! | |
Become an Energy Code Ambassador | |
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SPEER's Energy Code Ambassadors initiative is a dynamic and dedicated group of passionate individuals that gather monthly to address concerns & challenges related to the adoption of updating energy codes in cities across Texas with the goal to promote and improve energy-efficient practices in our built environment.
Comprised of architects, engineers, energy consultants, environmentalists, 3rd party verifiers, and policymakers, among others, these ambassadors actively engage with local authorities, community leaders, and relevant stakeholders to facilitate the successful adoption and integration of stronger building codes. Interested in becoming an ambassador? Learn more and apply here! Please send your application, along with any questions to SPEER's Energy Code Manager, Randy, at [email protected].
Once approved as an ambassador we will reach out with upcoming monthly calls and onboarding.
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Mark your calendars for SPEER’s annual Policy + Industry workshop on September 14-15th in Austin. I, along with Jason Vandever of NAIMA, will be facilitating a session of Friday morning, where we will delve into the recent trends we've observed in the adoption of the 2021 IECC across Texas, Oklahoma, and the rest of the US.
Before the Workshop officially begins, we'll convene our yearly in-person Texas Energy Code Compliance Collaborative (TECCC) meeting at the hotel on Thursday, Sept. 14th from 10:15-11:45 AM prior to lunch. This will provide a platform to continue our candid conversations about the current state of Energy Code Compliance across Texas and Oklahoma. We plan to address the hurdles and impediments that have hindered cities from adopting the most recent cycle of the Energy Code. Interested in attending this TECCC meeting? Please email Liz John, [email protected] or Todd McAlister, [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you there!
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Where?
Archer Hotel: 3121 Palm Way, Austin, Texas 78758
Book your room through our room block now.
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Who can you expect to be there?
Utilities, manufacturers, local governments, energy service providers, and implementers to name a few.
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Thank you to all of our SPEER members for your support and aid in furthering our mission. We are now at 63 members and want to extend a welcome to Metro Code, LLC for joining SPEER and becoming our newest member! Metro Code is a woman-owned organization that provides municipalities throughout TX with development infrastructure, plan review, building inspections, energy testing, green, and TAS services.
Head over to our membership page for a list of all of our members, and we encourage you to join us too!
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2021 IECC Energy Codes Training | |
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With funding provided by the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), Energy Systems Laboratory is providing training that will cover the changes from the 2018 to the 2021 IECC Energy Codes. Upcoming training includes:
August 1: 2021 IECC Commercial sections
Fort Worth
August 1: 2021 IECC Residential sections/IRC
Fort Worth
August 2: 2021 IECC Commercial sections
Richardson
August 2: 2021 IECC Residential sections/IRC
Richardson
August 2: 2021 IECC Mechanical sections
Arlington
For more details and all upcoming training through May 2024 visit their training page.
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North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG): July 18th at 9:30 AM
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North Texas Building Professional Institute (BPI) Conference: July 25th All-Day
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B.O.A.T Conference: August 15–18th
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What We're Reading:
The Layers and Pathways of Heat Flow in Buildings - Energy Vanguard
This great article discusses the principles of heat flow in building assemblies and the role of insulation. Allison explains that heat flows through layers in a series, with the total thermal resistance calculated by adding the R-values of each layer. In parallel pathways, such as in a standard wall assembly, heat flow is less through the pathway with a higher R-value, and the total R-value is calculated by a weighted average of the U-values. Most building assemblies combine these two principles. The article also notes that windows are rated by U-value due to the combination of layers and pathways in their assembly. The real-world application of these principles is more complex, requiring tools like THERM or WUFI for accurate modeling. Understanding these principles is crucial for effective insulation and thermal management in buildings.
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What We're Watching:
Energy Code Inspection Walk-through – Predrywall - YouTube – In case you missed it this video is a great OTJ training as I walk through a pre-drywall energy inspection explaining what an energy inspector looks for when doing this inspection.
Energy Inspection – Mechanical Ventilation Testing - YouTube – A question I get asked often is the new mechanical ventilation testing that’s now required with the 2021 IECC adoption. In this video, I walk through the different types of mechanical ventilation and discuss the testing procedures.
While you're on our YouTube channel subscribe to stay informed on energy optimization, efficient building techniques + energy codes, local govt climate action, and more. We have over 150 previous recorded webinar offerings.
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Is there something specific you would like us to dive deeper on? Are there topics that we have not addressed or questions that we can clarify and provide more insight on during a webinar or training? Please provide input on our request form so that we can better tailor building code and efficiency topics for upcoming webinars and training.
SPEER is also seeking esteemed speakers and individuals with a passion for knowledge sharing. If you are or know an an Energy Conservation Code expert or related topic and would like to present on our energy codes webinars please constant us!
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