Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Updates

Here are your wEEkly Updates:

1. First, a reminder that the Commercial Sector Subcommittee Meeting of the California Energy Efficiency Coordinating Committee is going on today! (Click here for more info.) This is an important opportunity to share feedback (or just listen in) on utility and other program administrator business plans for energy programming that are in the works now. To get direct alerts on subcommittee meetings, visit www.caeecc.org.

2. Registration is open for the ACEEE 2016 Summer Buildings Study in Pacific Grove this August. This year’s theme is “From Components to Systems, from Buildings to Communities.” To learn more or register, click here.

3. State-level EE 101 webinar: Looking to better understand state-level programs and resources for local government energy efficiency? Click here to learn more about and register for our upcoming April 19^th webinar.

4. Webinar on DSM-focused customer engagement: Greentech Media is hosting an April 21^st webinar, “Key Strategies for Driving Energy Efficiency and Customer Engagement.” The webinar may be of interest to utility partners and local governments seeking to support and leverage customer-centric demand side management (DSM) for deeper energy savings. For more information click here.

5. Tools for PACE standards adoption: As the market for PACE financing as grown hot, many local governments have been working to adopt local standards for PACE financing firms that wish to operate in their jurisdiction. The Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) has released an Agreement template: click here for more information.

6. Increasing Home Value through Energy Upgrades: More interesting findings this week on energy improvements in buildings increasing building values – this time, specifically in residential. Click here for more information.

7. EE leaders in business: Click here to read about Ford’s renovations of its existing campus in Dearborn that will make it a state-of-the-art, water- and energy-efficient facility complete with a living machine and driverless cars.

8. Using data to plan holistically: Cities like San Jose are deploying data solutions to holistically understand their buildings and achieve energy efficiency and air quality goals. Click here for coverage on data use from Environmental Leader.

9. Green historic preservation requirements: ASHRAE is working on an update to their Guideline 34P, or Energy Guideline for Historic Buildings – with comment periods upcoming. Learn more in this Energy Manager Today article.

10. Resources for going beyond code: cool roofs: the CEC and the Utilities Statewide Codes and Standards teams have been working on some new resources to help local governments efficiently implement reach codes. One of them, a cool roofs cost effectiveness study for all climate zones, is now available. Learn more and review the study here.

11. Resilient Communities training: The Resilient Communities Initiative will be holding a special training, Engaging Communities for Effective Problem Solving, for local government officials tasked with protecting public welfare June 6^th. Click here for more information.

12. Job announcement: San Diego International Airport seeks a highly-motivated professional to join its Environmental Affairs Department as a Senior Environmental Specialist! Learn more here.

13. Job announcement: MCE is hiring a Legal Counsel! Learn more here.

14. Recruit a CivicSpark fellow: Looking for capacity at the local level for energy, water, and sustainability projects? If you missed the webinars on how to apply for the CivicSpark AmeriCorps program, you can review a recording online.

As always, you can keep track of relevant events by connecting to the EE Events Calendar, and find more resources being added daily on the EECoordinator website.

That’s all for this week!

Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your WEEkly Updates:

1. The CEC will be holding the first Empower California workshop on February 26th at 9am to kick off AB 865, also known as the EmPower California Act, which will boost job creation and business opportunities for minorities, women, LGBT and disabled veteran-owned businesses in the energy industry. Implementation will include establishing an outreach plan to increase participation of diverse business enterprises in Energy Commission funding opportunities and creating a Diversity Task Force. For more information on attending or participating by WebEx, click here.

2. The latest Annual Report is out from the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN). The report builds on the best practice findings from their Permit Resource Opportunity Program, and features case studies including stakeholder engagement for energy code development in Santa Clara, and support offered on reach codes in Marin County, as well as best practices learned from the City of Berkley’s adoption of its new Building Energy Services Ordinance, “BESO” (replacing its prior residential and commercial energy conservation ordinances). Click here to read the report.

3. New DSM technology: Interested in new technologies to optimize demand side management (DSM)? Opower and SDG&E's Supervisor of Residential Programs will discuss the latest energy efficiency and demand response opportunities and reporting tools available through Opower's new Agile EE in a March 10th webinar. Click here to learn more and/or register.

4. Carrying out Evaluation, Measurement and Verification (EM&V) efficiently can be a challenge. A new EM&V report from the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) explores how IT developments are enhancing EM&V options. Click here to read more.

5. An article on parking garage HVAC energy efficiency provides some interesting findings on opportunities for energy savings through fan controls, featuring four California properties as an example. Read more at Energy Manager Today's website.

6. The CEC is holding a public workshop on March 8th to present a draft of the Natural Gas Vehicle Research Roadmap. This roadmap details the strategic research, development, demonstration, and deployment needed to enhance the viability of the natural gas vehicle market in California. For more information, click here.

7. Registration is open for the Navigating the American Carbon World conference, May 4th-6th in San Diego. Click here to review the program or register.

8. Heavy truck standards moving forward: Those of us with heavy-duty sanitation, parks, or other municipal fleet, or managing public transit fleets may be interested to hear that Phase II of the federal heavy-duty vehicle fuel efficiency standards has been proposed by US DOT and US EPA, and is expected to be adopted this summer. Read more on this and take a look at some helpful graphics at ACEEE’s website, or take a look at the proposed rule in the Federal Register, here. Per ACEEE, the Phase 2 standards would reduce fuel consumption by new heavy-duty vehicles an additional 24%.

9. For some news on energy efficiency efforts across the Pacific, here's a story describing China's new energy efficiency and demand response planning and programs, spurred on by extreme air pollution.

10. Job announcement: Empower Efficiency is hiring for two positions:a Commercial Behavioral Energy Assessor, and a Behavioral Campaign Manager/Facilitator. Both positions can be found on their website.

As always, you can keep track of relevant events by connecting to the EE Events Calendar. 

That is all for this week!