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What's new this month:
- Upcoming Webinars/Events
- Court Vacates 2021 IECC Federal Mandate — But the Need for Better Homes Hasn’t Changed
- Noteworthy
- SPEER Resources & Webinar Archive
- What We're Reading
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CAPCOG/SPEER Energy Workshop: Building Energy Codes
April 8 @ 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
St. Edward's University
CAPCOG and SPEER will conduct an interactive workshop on building energy codes and understanding their connection to regional air quality.
Randy Plumlee, SPEER's Senior Manager of Building Performance, will provide an overview of the newest 2024 IECC for residential and commercial buildings. He is the leading SPEER expert on compliance education and outreach to local areas in the region, providing support to code jurisdictions seeking to adopt new codes, training, and building science support.
This workshop is intended for local government staff including administrators, energy coordinators, building officials, facilities managers, finance officers, and anyone involved in energy management or utility data.
More info and registration here.
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Webinar: 2024 IECC Commercial: What to Enforce – Part 2 (Without Mechanical)
April 14 @ 10:30 am
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 will focus 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.
This webinar is designed for building officials, inspectors, plan reviewers, energy raters, and design professionals who want to better understand how the 2024 IECC is applied in real-world projects.
*Did you miss Part 1? Check out the YouTube recording here.
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SPEER/CleanTX Earth Week Workshop & Happy Hour: Speakers Announced!
April 21, 2-6 PM
Scholz Garten, Austin
CleanTX and SPEER are partnering for an Earth Week Workshop & Happy Hour focused on Community-First Grid Expansion.
Speakers:
- Doug Lewin, Energy Market Development, Google
- Paden Williams, Advisory Associate, Aurora Energy Research
- Doug Presley, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs, AnnDyl Policy Group
Moderator:
- Matthew Boms, Executive Director, Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance
As data centers and hyper-scalers 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. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore how Texas can meet large load demand by combining speed-to-market solutions with on-site generation as a bridge and long-term market resource. Panelists will discuss hybrid approaches that integrate natural gas, BESS, and renewables to deliver power to sites faster while shifting the paradigm from grid defection to grid services in ERCOT. We will provide ICC CEU's for workshop sessions.
Registration and sponsorship options here.
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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.
Head here for location info and registration!
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Court Vacates 2021 IECC Federal Mandate — But the Need for Better Homes Hasn’t Changed | | |
A federal court has vacated the requirement from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would have required certain federally financed homes to meet the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) 2021, according to reporting from the National Association of Home Builders.
While some in the industry see this as a victory, it’s worth asking what we’re actually celebrating. Modern energy codes exist because they reduce utility costs, improve comfort, and make homes more resilient. Delaying or removing these standards doesn’t make housing better—it simply postpones the benefits homeowners ultimately pay for through higher energy bills.
Energy codes are not the enemy of housing affordability—they’re part of the solution.
Read the full article.
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SPEER Releases 2025 Impact Report
SPEER's 2025 Impact Report: Advancing Energy Efficiency & Serving Our Communities is now live!
While 2025 certainly had its challenges, SPEER continued to lead the charge in our territory with dogged determination to pursue our mission: promoting energy efficiency and serving the great people of Texas and Oklahoma.
Take a look at some of last year's accomplishments we are most proud of (including Energy Codes program highlights), and dive in here!
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SPEER Member Update: HVAC U Announces New Division
Building Scientist is a workforce development and technical training organization specializing in skilled-trade education, building performance, and energy efficiency. As the utility-facing division powered by HVAC U, Building Scientist designs and implements comprehensive workforce development, job training, and apprenticeship programs for utilities, specialty trade contractors, and implementation partners.
These programs connect building science, industry best practices, and real-world field application — ensuring program partners and trade professionals are prepared to deliver safe, efficient, and measurable results.
Learn more here.
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Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) Hot Water Innovation Prize
SPEER is proud to co-sponsor the Hot Water Innovation Prize, a national effort led by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) to accelerate the development of a new type of affordable and efficient water heater.
The contest includes three phases: qualification, project plan development, and prototype submissions. Later this year, they'll be announcing up to two Prize winners, who will receive $175,000 in co-funding and inclusion in utility demonstration projects across the country. These efforts will provide valuable data on performance, installation, and customer satisfaction, laying the groundwork for broader adoption.
By supporting initiatives like this, we are helping to ensure that next-generation technologies are efficient and accessible. Learn more about the Hot Water Innovation Prize and its impact on the future of water heating.
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When: Mar 17th – 20th
Where: San Antonio for the 2026 RESNET® Conference
When: April 8th
Where: CAPCOG Energy Codes Workshop
When: April 9th
Where: Energy Ambassador/TECCC In-person meeting in Round Rock
When: Apr 16th-17th
Where: Houston GBRC / CEC Trainings
When: Apr 21st – 23rd
Where: TEMA Connect 2026 in Corpus Christi
| *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 1 (Without Mechanical)?
The 2024 IECC brings meaningful changes to commercial energy code enforcement—especially for building envelope, lighting, electrical systems, and commissioning. This session cuts through the noise and focuses on what plan reviewers and inspectors in Texas are most often asked to verify in the field and at the counter.
By intentionally excluding Section C403 (Mechanical), this training zeroes in on the areas that most commonly delay approvals, trigger corrections, or result in late-stage compliance disputes. Attendees will walk away with practical enforcement guidance and clear expectations aligned with how commercial projects are actually reviewed and inspected across Texas.
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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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18 HVAC Design Mistakes in Custom Homes
A recent article from Energy Vanguard highlights a critical reality in building performance: many HVAC problems start at the design stage—not during installation. According to building scientist Allison Bailes, even a perfectly installed system can’t overcome poor design decisions.
The article outlines common design mistakes found in custom homes and high-performance projects. Some of the most frequent include:
- Oversizing heating and cooling equipment, often due to rule-of-thumb sizing rather than proper load calculations. Oversized systems can reduce comfort and humidity control.
- Undersized duct systems, which restrict airflow, increase noise, and can lead to equipment issues such as frozen coils or overheating heat exchangers.
- Poor air distribution design, including oversized supply registers or inadequate return air pathways that cause pressure imbalances.
- Ventilation mistakes, such as undersizing ERVs/HRVs or failing to include mechanical ventilation altogether.
- Designs that ignore real-world construction constraints, like routing ducts through framing members or not accounting for field changes during installation.
HVAC design should never be an afterthought. Proper load calculations, duct design, ventilation planning, and coordination with the building layout are essential to delivering comfort, efficiency, and healthy indoor air quality.
In short, if the system is designed wrong, no amount of installation quality can fully fix it later.
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