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Hello CELC members,
As we move into the summer months, most of us will take a road trip. My favorite thing to do on a road trip is check out the county courthouses and small-town BBQ. On my travels on Texas roads, I admired the small-town architecture; at the same time, looking at deteriorating buildings reminded me of funding opportunities through Texas PACE Authority. Also known as Property Assessed Clean Energy, they will work in the county to rehabilitate old structures, and it's financed by capital providers, like a bank.
In an interview with KXII news in the Grayson County region William Myers, Vice President for Business Development for the Denison Development Alliance stated, "This is a tool for redeveloping properties. If you approve it at the city level, it only helps the buildings and business owners in the city, not the entire county," said Myers. "Since there are structures throughout the county in unincorporated areas, we felt like this would be a great countywide tool." Feel free to reach out if you would like to learn more about funding opportunities such as PACE.
All the best,
Shaun Auckland
sauckland@eepartnership.org
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In This Newsletter:
- CELC Events
- Local Government Policy
- SPEER News and Events
- Member and Partner News
- Podcasts and What we are Reading
- Toolkit Spotlight
- Job Opportunities
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City Efficiency Leadership Council Updates
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CELC Webinar- PACE a Funding Mechanism for Energy Efficiency
WHAT IS PACE? Property Assessed Clean Energy (TX-PACE) is a proven financial tool that incentivizes Texas property owners to upgrade facility infrastructure with little or no capital outlay. Approved by State legislation and established by local governments, TX-PACE programs enable owners to lower their operating costs and use the savings to pay for eligible water conservation, energy efficiency, resiliency, and distributed generation projects.
In this webinar, we will discuss:
- Advantages of PACE
- Participant Criteria
- Examples of Past PACE Projects
Speaker: Dub Taylor, Texas PACE Authority
Date: 5/25 Thursday
Time: 2:00 pm
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hOo2dtY-SQS_Ak3fgO-AVg
CELC and Alamo Council of Governments Roundtable
SPEER and the Alamo Council of Governments will be hosting this roundtable. The CELC is a collaborative of cities, school districts, and other public entities across the state, engaged in sharing opportunities for partnership and resource exchange to expand the adoption of energy management best practices.
In this meeting, we will discuss:
- Energy Star Program Overview and examples
- EPA's Partner of the Year presentation
- Ways to collaborate with other organizations
Date: Thursday July 7th
Time: 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Oe4R7qCwT0u7vo82Kz3vdQ
*This meeting is closed to vendors or service providers. All registrations will be reviewed before providing the meeting link. Please feel free to reach out with any questions at cities@eepartnership.org.
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If you are aware of upcoming policy discussions or actions in your area and would like to share them in this newsletter, please send information to noaks@eepartnership.org.
Recent and Upcoming Local Government Policy Actions:
Statewide: The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) requested comments from stakeholders regarding two programs. The first request relates to emergency response service (ERS) amendments. The second request relates to questions filed on distributed energy resources (DER). Comments on proposed ERS amendments are requested by May 18, 2022 and comments on DER are requested by June 15, 2022. Link for ERS Docket 53493. Link for DER Docket 51603.
San Antonio: CPS Energy is considering changes to their Save Tomorrow's Energy Plan (STEP) program. The CPS Energy Board is currently reviewing program options. Once the Board has made their recommendation the SA City Council will need to vote for approval. The next CPS Energy Board meeting is on May 23, 2022. More information can be found at CPS Energy Board webpage.
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SPEER News and Up-coming Events
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Fall Building Operator Certification (BOC) Course Open:
Save your spot! |
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The national Building Operator Certification (BOC) course is a workforce training and certification program offering facilities personnel the job skills and knowledge to improve the energy performance of their buildings. It provides individuals with the background and perspective to implement cost-saving operational improvements based on low-cost/no-cost maintenance upgrades and solutions.
HVAC systems. Electrical systems. Lighting. Data collection. Environmental regulations and code compliance. Facility operators manage a lot of moving pieces every day. Download the course flyer for details on classes, dates, and how to register. |
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State Energy Conservation Office Requesting Input on Energy Efficiency Needs
The Office of the Comptroller, State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) is seeking input from municipalities, counties, and school districts to guide planning activities for the State Energy Program, which will see a substantial increase in funding as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). SECO will provide funding through the State Energy Program for projects that reduce carbon emissions through activities including energy conservation, renewable energy, and clean energy technologies in buildings. SECO has drafted a survey to assess energy efficiency needs in communities statewide to ensure that they design programs that provide maximum community benefit. Feedback is requested specifically from municipalities, counties, and school districts.
Please take advantage of this opportunity to provide input on funding programs that may be beneficial to your organizations. The survey can be found here. Responses are due by May 20, 2022.
Project Connect Hosted an Industry Day
On April 26, 2022, Project Connect, Austin Transit Parnership and Capital Metro held Transit Industry Day to share more about the economic opportunities Project Connect and CapMetro are bringing to Austin and how your business can be a part of it. All materials, resources and a registrant directory can be found on our Industry Day Virtual Open House and a video of the presentation
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Podcasts and What we are Reading
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What is the City Efficiency Leadership Council?
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The council is a cooperative of city leaders and officials throughout Texas and Oklahoma, furthering the adoption of energy management best practices in the public sector. Our peer-to-peer network is open to employees of any public entity, including city and county governments, public school districts, and other publicly funded entities. For more information, check out our website.
Questions or interested in getting involved with the City Efficiency Leadership Council? Get in touch!
512-279-0765 or cities@eepartnership.org |
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