On the calendar below you can find events, workshops, seminars, webinars, and training opportunities in the North Texas region related to water, energy, and transportation. You can add events to your own calendar, or subscribe to the entire calendar to have it next to your own calendar.
Upcoming Events
Past Events and Event Documents
Webinar: Introduction to SolSmart
Local governments were invited to attend an informational session to learn about the SolSmart program and join a free North Texas SolSmart cohort that will begin in March 2024. SolSmart is a national program that offers no-cost technical assistance to help local governments follow best practices to expand solar energy use and achieve recognition through SolSmart designation.
This informational session provided an overview of the SolSmart program, the objectives and intent of the cohort, and gave participants an opportunity to ask questions about the cohort sessions and individual technical assistance.
Speakers:
Brandy O'Quinn- Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)
Zachary Greene- World Resources Institute (WRI)
NCTCOG and SPEER Local Government Energy Reporting Workshop
This workshop was held at NCTCOG offices on January 10, 2023. It was coordinated by SPEER and NCTCOG staff to help educate local governments and other reporting entities of the Local Government Energy Reporting requirement established by the Texas Legislature.
Description: The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and South-Central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource (SPEER) hosted a FREE in-person workshop for reporting entities to learn about the Local Government Energy Reporting Requirement, a state mandate to report and reduce electricity consumption for cities and counties. A SPEER representative provided helpful information and tips to successfully report in early 2024 and walked through the entire form step-by-step.
A representative from the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), provided additional information on their programs as well, and that information can be found in the workshop presentation linked below.
This workshop was for all political subdivisions in local government, state agencies, and institutes of higher education in the affected counties of the region required to submit an annual report to the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO).
Speakers:
Shaun Marie Auckland - SPEER
Adam Mueller - SECO
Joaquin Escalante - NCTCOG
Workshop Presentation
Workshop Recording
Local Government Energy Reporting Template
Local Government Energy Reporting FAQ
NCTCOG Energy Resiliency Roundtable
The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) hosted a virtual roundtable on the topic of Energy Resiliency and Hazard Mitigation Planning on August 29, 2023.
Description: The importance of energy resilience for the North Texas region was underscored by an evaluation of the risks and threats to the energy supply. Efforts by organizations in the region to address energy resilience were covered by the presenters. Energy resilience planning needs as they relate to emergency management were identified and strategies to improve preparedness were covered.
Audience: This roundtable targeted local governments and other entities in the region with an interest in pursuing strategies to make their facilities more resilient in the face of grid disruptions and outages. Attendees included emergency managers, sustainability managers, and energy managers from organizations across the DFW region.
Speakers:
- Travis Houston, Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator and Carlos Evans, Director of Environmental Quality and Sustainability - City of Dallas
- Mendie White, Sustainability Manager - City of Lewisville
- Sarah Andrews, Manager for Corporate Strategy - Oncor
- James Wood, Sustainability Project Manager - DFW Airport
Roundtable Presentations:
Facility Retrofits to Reduce Overall Energy and Water Consumption
Audience: This workshop is appropriate for energy managers, facility managers, personnel that manage electric contracts, and/or collect or report energy and water usage data.
Description:
Facility retrofits are a beneficial way to improve energy and water efficiency and reduce overall consumption and save money. This workshop will explore ways local governments can implement facility retrofits to reduce overall consumption within their own facilities. Financing and technical resources will be highlighted that can be accessed by local government entities in North Central Texas. The process to receive free technical assistance and preliminary energy assessments (PEA) from the Texas State Energy Conservation Office will also be covered.
Speakers/Trainers: Saleem Khan, P.E., President - TEESI Engineering
James Douglas - City of Denton
Bailey Muller - North Central Texas Council of Governments
Lori Clark - North Central Texas Council of Governments
Workshop Presentations:
- Agenda
- NCTCOG Workshop Introduction
- Planning and Implementing Utility Cost Reduction Measures
- City of Denton Facility Retrofits and Upgrades
- Resources for Energy Management
Workshop Flyers & Handouts:
- SECO SB898 (82R) Reporting Form
- Preliminary Energy Assessments
- Energy Efficiency Reporting Requirements in Texas Matrix
- Free Technical Assistance Flyer
- Using Excel Templates for Building Portfolio Manager Uploads
- Why Energy Use Matters
- EVNT & Funding Opportunities for Fleets
Emergency Preparedness and the Energy Supply
Audience: This workshop is appropriate for energy managers, facility managers, personnel that manage electric contracts, and/or collect or report energy and water usage data.
Description:
Disruptions in power occur for a variety of reasons in North Central Texas. Natural and man-made hazards can lead to disruptions in electric services to local government facilities, residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. This workshop will explore ways local governments can better prepare for future disruptions by reducing their electric demand. By reducing demand on the grid through improvements in energy efficiency and implementation of technologies such as distribution generation and microgrids, local governments can improve their resilience to grid outages. Integrating energy efficiency into resilience planning will also be explored and resources for local governments to evaluate energy efficiency as a tool for resiliency will be provided. Additionally, integrating alternative fuel vehicle technology and infrastructure in emergency preparedness applications will also be discussed.
Speakers/Trainers: Gavin Dillingham - Houston Advanced Research Council
Jerry Looper - Denton Municiple Electric
Tamara Cook - North Central Texas Council of Governments
Dorothy Gilliam - North Central Texas Council of Governments
Workshop Presentations:
- Agenda
- NCTCOG Workshop Introduction
- Practical Approaches to Keeping the Lights On with CHP Microgrids
- Emergency Response Plan Coordination
- Resources
Workshop Flyers & Handouts:
- SECO SB898 (82R) Reporting Form
- Energy Efficiency Reporting Requirements in Texas Matrix
- Free Technical Assistance Flyer
- Why Energy Use Matters
- The Energy-Resilient City Infographic
- Resilient Power Infrastructure and Technology Solutions
- Planning a Resilient Power Sector
- DOE Energy Efficiency and Distributed Generation for Resilience - Case Studies
Lowering Local Government Energy Consumption Through Energy Planning and Policies
Audience: This workshop is appropriate for energy managers, facility managers, personnel that manage electric contracts, and/or collect or report energy and water usage data.
Description:
Good management of government-owned facilities is critical to reducing local governments' energy and water expenses, as well as air quality impacts associated with power generation. The foundation of good management is good planning. Establishing operational and maintenance protocols and policies are important components of any energy management plan. Having well defined goals and policies can be important to ensuring that energy consumption is minimized to the maximum extent possible. This workshop will provide information for local governments on the following topics:
- Establishing energy plans and policies
- Internal policy and program changes to avoid energy waste through behavior and Operation & Maintenance changes
- Statutory reporting requirements for cities, counties, state agencies, and institutes of higher education
- Resources provided by the State Energy Conservation Office
Trainers: Saleem Khan, P.E. - President, TEESI Engineering
Workshop Presentations:
- NCTCOG Workshop Introduction
- Energy Management Policy and Plans
- Energy Savings and Maintenance & Operation Practices
- NCTCOG and SECO Resources
Workshop Flyers & Handouts:
- SECO SB898 (82R) Reporting Form
- EVNT & Funding Opportunities for Fleets
- Sample Energy Management Policy
Energy Management for Local Governments: Legislative Requirements, Benchmarking, and Tools to Measure Energy and Water Use
Audience: This workshop is appropriate for energy managers, facility managers, personnel that manage electric contracts, and/or collect or report energy and water usage data.
Description:
Public entities in North Central Texas spend large portions of their budgets on power for city facilities and services. The power generation needs associated with this energy use also impacts air quality at a regional level. Good management of these assets is critical to finding opportunities to reduce energy and water expenses, as well as associated air quality impacts. In addition to it making good financial sense, many local governments are required by state statute to report energy consumption to the Texas State Energy Conservation Office annually. Benchmarking and energy reporting tools can streamline efforts for filing this report. This workshop will provide information for local governments on the following topics:
- Senate Bill 898 reporting requirements for cities, counties, state agencies, and institutes of higher education
- Benchmarking and the value of understanding your facilities’ energy and water use
- Energy Star Building Portfolio Manager - a free online tool to use in your energy management program
- Free energy audits and other resources offered by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Trainers: Saleem Khan, P.E. - President, TEESI Engineering
Chris Pettit, M.S. - Staff Engineer, TEESI Engineering
Workshop Presentations:
- Energy Management for Local Goverments - NCTCOG
- Energy Accounting & Benchmarking - TEESI Engineering
- ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager: What Can Portfolio Manager Do? - TEESI Engineering
- Resources: SECO, NCTCOG, and Others - NCTCOG
Workshop Flyers & Handouts:
- SECO SB898 (82R) Reporting Form
- Cooperative Electricity Purchasing Programs Available to Local Governments in Texas
- ENERGY STAR: Local Governments Overview of Energy Use and Efficiency Opportunities
- EVNT & Funding Opportunities for Fleets
- Vehicle Funding Opportunities Summary
SECO Resource Overview and Renewable Energy Planning and Procurement Workshop
Description:
The intent of this workshop was to provide NCTCOG members: 1) an overview of Utility Rate Analysis and determining what types of utility rate structures/procurement strategies make the most sense for your organization; 2) information about energy management resources available from the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO); and, 3) planning and procurement of renewable energy through long-term renewable energy purchasing agreements that are now avaialble for local governments.
Workshop Presentations: