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What's new this month:
- Upcoming Webinars/Events
- Noteworthy
- SPEER Resources & Webinar Archive
- What We're Reading
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CELC Webinar:
Empowering Tomorrow - Strategies for Success in Clean Energy Workforce Development
April 23 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am
This webinar will present strategies of successful workforce development programs, including CenterPoint Energy’s Talent Acquisition program, TRC’s workforce development initiatives, and NYSERDA’s diverse workforce development and training programming. Attendees will learn how these organizations are leading the way in developing talent, fostering a skilled workforce, and advancing the clean energy future. Join to hear about clean energy workforce opportunities in Texas and beyond.
Moderator:
- Angel Moreno, Director, TRC
Presenters:
- Laura Giannini, Director, TRC
- Tom Rooney, Vice President, TRC
- Kimberley Murphy, Director Talent Acquisition, CenterPoint Energy
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Dallas Heat Pump Contractor Training Workshop
April 29 @ 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
We’re partnering with SPEER member LG Electronics for another free Heat Pump Contractor Training Workshop, taught by experts at LG.
*Coffee, breakfast, and snacks provided.
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CELC Webinar: Utility-Sponsored Energy Efficiency Programs in Texas
April 30 @ 12:00 pm
Learn about utility-sponsored programs in Texas designed to help commercial and industrial customers reduce energy demand and implement cost-effective efficiency upgrades. This webinar will provide an overview of different utility energy efficiency programs and eligible projects, available incentives, and how to take advantage of these programs.
Speakers:
- Alexandra Blair, Program Consultant, Frontier Energy
- Scott Wishart, Senior Program Consultant, Frontier Energy
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Houston Heat Pump Contractor Training Workshop
May 13 @ 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
We’re partnering with SPEER members CenterPoint Energy, Daikin, and LG Electronics for another free Heat Pump Contractor Training Workshop!
*Coffee, breakfast, and snacks provided.
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Webinar: Commercial Envelope Air Leakage Testing: IECC & ASHRAE 90.1 2019 and 2022 Alignment
May 5 @ 10:30 am
Join us as our special guest, Doug Hansley-Pauly from DHP Energy LLC in Oregon, explores the evolving requirements for commercial building envelope air leakage testing—commonly referred to as blower door testing—under the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE 90.1.
We’ll break down when whole-building air leakage testing is required, when visual inspection is allowed, and how these provisions align (or differ) from ASHRAE 90.1 compliance paths. Attendees will gain practical insight into enforcement, testing procedures, documentation requirements, and common pitfalls seen in the field—helping jurisdictions, designers, and inspectors ensure compliance and improve building performance.
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Webinar: Understanding Code-Driven Energy Metering in Commercial Buildings
May 19 @ 10:30 am
Join us as we host Kira Schmidt from AccuEnergy. Her presentation explains how modern energy codes—such as the International Energy Conservation Code and ASHRAE 90.1—are shifting from design-based compliance to performance-based accountability through required energy metering. It outlines why metering exists, how compliance paths dictate requirements, and how codes mandate end-use monitoring, data logging, storage, and reporting.
The presentation also connects these requirements to real-world design decisions, highlighting how metering must be integrated early into electrical and system layouts to ensure compliance and long-term operational success.
| | | Recap: SPEER Energy Ambassador & Texas Energy Code Compliance Collaborative (TECCC) Meeting | | |
Last week's in-person SPEER Energy Code Ambassador and Texas Energy Code Compliance Collaborative (TECCC) meeting was a success, with a full house of energy code experts in attendance.
Great discussions were had regarding updates on Texas' progress toward adopting the 2024 IECC, as well as key energy efficiency bills that could have impact during the next Texas Legislative Session.
Learn more about SPEER's Energy Codes programs here.
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NEEP Blog: The IECC's Future and its Impact on Affordability
Our friends at the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) have published a new blog regarding the joint REEOs' comments on the proposed 2030 IECC/IECCX.
"The IECC has long been more than a code; it is a foundation for better buildings and stronger communities. Maintaining one clear and comprehensive IECC helps preserve that role by supporting usability, consistency, and long-term value for building occupants. For these reasons, we recommend preserving a unified base code that continues to advance building performance and housing affordability."
Read the full blog here.
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When: Apr 21st – 23rd
Where: TEMA Connect 2026 in Corpus Christi
When: Apr 28th
Where: NCTCOG – Regional Codes Coordinating Committee meeting
When: May 28th
Where: BPI North Texas – Irving
| *Interested in SPEER bringing in-field training to you or learning about the 2021 IECC changes, mechanical ventilation training, and HVAC best practices? | | | SPEER Resources & Webinar Archive |
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In Case You Missed It!
Did you miss our recent webinar, 2024 IECC Commercial: What to Enforce - Part 2 (Without Mechanical)?
The 2024 IECC introduces major updates affecting how commercial buildings are reviewed and inspected for energy code compliance. In this follow-up session, we will continue breaking down the provisions most likely to affect plan review and field enforcement across Texas.
Part 2 focuses on practical enforcement strategies related to lighting controls, electrical provisions, commissioning requirements, and documentation verification. The session will highlight common compliance mistakes, field inspection challenges, and strategies code officials can use to identify issues earlier in the permitting process.
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Check out all the resources we have on our website, including a link to our YouTube page with hours of video training content! |
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5 Ways to Get Carbon-Monoxide Poisoning in an All-Electric Home
This recent article from Energy Vanguard highlights that even in an all-electric home—often assumed to eliminate combustion risks, carbon monoxide (CO) exposure is still very possible through everyday activities and design conditions. It outlines five common pathways, including improper use of generators, pollutants migrating from attached garages, grilling too close to the home, malfunctioning pool heaters, and even the self-cleaning cycle of electric ovens, which can create CO through high-temperature “burn-off” processes. The key takeaway is that CO is colorless, odorless, and interferes with oxygen transport in the body, meaning occupants can be exposed without realizing it until symptoms appear.
From an energy code perspective, this reinforces that the code is not just about efficiency, it is fundamentally a health and safety standard. Requirements related to air sealing, garage isolation, mechanical ventilation, and exhaust systems are directly tied to preventing pollutant migration and protecting occupants from hazards like CO. Even in electrified homes, poor design, installation, or occupant behavior can bypass these safeguards, underscoring why proper enforcement of the IECC and related mechanical/ventilation provisions remains critical to indoor air quality and occupant safety, not just energy performance.
Read more here.
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