Efficiency First California

Commissioning Heat Pump Systems: Ventilation System Integration (DOAS and ERV) – Fall
2023-10-19 08:30 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Part 2 of 5 – October 19, 2023 (8:30am – 12:30pm)
This training series will focus on the design, commissioning and operational issues associated with heat pumps and heat pump systems with a focus on how this type of equipment can facilitate electrification of buildings and building systems. The content will be divided into five half-day sessions. Each session will stand alone, but the different training modules will also be inter-related. Ideally people interested in using heat pumps as part of building electrification projects will attend all five sessions.
This session will provide an overview of how heat pumps can be integrated with ventilation strategies ranging from a basic make up air system to dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS), energy recovery ventilators (ERVs), run-around coils and other strategies. Pros and cons of the various strategies will be discussed along with how heat pumps themselves can be applied as the heating and cooling source in the equipment. Options for introducing ventilation air into the heat pump zones will also be discussed.

Water Heating Distribution Best Practices – Class 5: High Performance Fundamentals Series
2023-10-18 15:00 - 17:00
This is class 5 of 6 in 3C-REN’s High Performance Fundamentals Certificate series. Earn a 3C-REN certificate of completion after finishing the series and passing short quizzes at the end of each class.
Do you have any customers who wait a long time to get hot water somewhere in their house? Do you know someone who is frustrated watching the water run down the drain while waiting when outdoor watering is restricted due to drought? Have you ever wondered why a shower sometimes feels wimpy and what you can do about it without adding a boost pump? And, given the trend toward decarbonization, how do you pick a water heater that will provide customer satisfaction and be energy efficient? Would you like to know how to solve these and related problems in existing buildings and prevent them in new ones? We will discuss the answers to these and other questions during this fast-paced class.

Case Studies: Sequential Pathways to Zero-Carbon Homes
2023-10-18 09:00 - 11:30
Ever think, “I cannot afford to convert my home into a zero-carbon home? It’s too much to think about or learn all at one time!” Instructor Terry Nordbye will present key elements of a zero-carbon home and how to plan a long-term strategy to decarbonize your home. This session unpacks the project history of two heavy carbon emission homes and how they were converted to zero-carbon homes over a period of 12 years.

Remodeling—A Great Time to Improve Efficiency and Electrify
2023-10-17 12:00 - 13:00
This class is intended to equip homeowners planning remodeling projects to work effectively with their design and building team to incorporate high-performance goals of efficiency, comfort, electrification, etc.—and avoid common pitfalls. Managing even a simple project can be challenging enough, but when you’re targeting high performance, it takes extra care to make sure you get the results you hope for. This talk will cover:

Definitions and benefits of high performance, efficiency, electrification, solar, and batteries
A quick introduction to State energy/climate goals
The planning process: gathering ideas and information and setting priorities
Popular electric equipment options
Assembling and working with your team
Coordinating your team to access incentives

Commissioning Heat Pump Systems: Fundamentals and System Types - Fall
2023-10-17 08:00 - 12:30
Part 1 of 5 – October 17, 2023 (8:30am – 12:30pm)
This training series will focus on the design, commissioning and operational issues associated with heat pumps and heat pump systems with a focus on how this type of equipment can facilitate electrification of buildings and building systems. The content will be divided into five half-day sessions. Each session will stand alone, but the different training modules will also be inter-related. Ideally people interested in using heat pumps as part of building electrification projects will attend all five sessions.
This session will provide an overview of the heat pump concept and contrast it with electric resistance and natural gas heating. The refrigeration cycle will be touched upon with resources provided for more in-depth self-study for those who are interested. Common heat pump configurations, system types and applications will be discussed and illustrated.

Electrify Efficiently: California’s Electrification Transition and What it Means for Your Home
2023-10-16 12:00 - 13:30
Part 1 of 5 – October 16, 2023 (12pm – 1:30pm)
Building electrification is rapidly accelerating in California and beyond. In 2022, for the first time, more electric heat pumps were sold than gas furnaces. It is important for homeowners, renters, real estate professionals, architects, and other professionals to be aware of these changes and prepare for future upgrades. In this webinar, Electrify My Home will describe what’s led to the electrification movement, why going electric is a wise choice for future resale, how to avoid costly mistakes, potential DIY options, and how rebates and financing make it easier.

ACEEE: Energy Efficiency as a Resource
2023-10-16 - 2023-10-18 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Utility energy efficiency programs have a strong record of saving customers energy and money. But today’s urgent challenges—from climate change to inequitable energy burdens—demand that we ramp up these efficiency efforts and reimagine what these programs are capable of, building on the strong foundations in place. Join us at the Energy Efficiency as Resource (EER) conference in Philadelphia, October 16–18, 2023, to explore how efficiency efforts can expand and evolve amid a transforming utility industry.

Electric Home Tour
2023-10-14 10:00 - 16:00
Welcome to the Electric Home Tour! See homes throughout the Peninsula and South Bay who have switched from dirty methane (so-called “natural gas”) to clean electricity.
Talk with homeowners about how they chose energy-efficient water heaters, furnaces, dryers, induction cooktops, stoves and more. Learn about the cost — and the rebates you can get. Discuss whether to select a contractor — or do-it-yourself — and how to create a plan that fits your family’s finances while improving your home’s comfort and healthy, indoor air quality.
Visit the website — www.ElectricHomeTour.org — to see a brief description of each home. With 40+ homes on the Tour, you can pick a route based on how much time you have and which appliances you’d like to learn about. Award-winning homes from Silicon Valley Clean Energy and Peninsula Clean Energy will also be marked on the list of homes.
Addresses will be sent out a few days before the event to those who register. The registration includes a liability waiver (see text below), indicating that those who sign up will hold harmless all residents and the Tour organizers and sponsors.
You can also explore other “green” features in these homes, including native plants, electric garden tools, solar panels — and the electric vehicles displayed at some houses. In Palo Alto, the Kramer-Thesen home will feature an EV and E-Bike Expo with a variety of popular models. EV and E-bike owners will answer your questions as you walk among the various cars and bikes on display.

TECH Clean California Data Webinar
2023-10-12 10:00 - 23:00
We are excited to share an in-depth analysis of data collected by the TECH Clean California. Join TECH Clean California subject matter experts in a data deep-dive exploring topics including: – What are the key drivers of differences in heat pump HVAC project costs? – What is the frequency and cost of panel upgrades performed alongside TECH Clean California projects, and what affects this? – How is energy used in California homes? What does household energy use tell us about the opportunity for heat pump installations? – What are the electricity, gas, and greenhouse gas impacts from several hundred TECH Clean California projects? – What are the utility bill outcomes for recipients of TECH Clean California incentives? This Data Webinar will take place on October 12 at 10:00 a.m. PT. You will also receive updates on new data sources and upgrades to the public reporting site as we compile real data from the California heat pump market, TECH Clean California, and other building decarbonization programs.

EEBA High Performance Home Builder Summit
2023-10-10 - 2023-10-13 | Salt Palace Convention Center, 90 South West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT, 84101, United States
EEBA’s High Performance Home BuilderSummit will focus on providing the tools and networking that builders, raters, analysts, and architects need to take high performance, healthy, resilient homes to new heights. Our annual High Performance Home BuilderSummit showcases cutting edge research and best practices of high performance housing. The time to dramatically accelerate the creation of high performance homes is now. EEBA can no longer be satisfied with (only) the dissemination of building science information. Through this Summit, EEBA will educate building professionals, with the goal that they leave our events inspired to effectively build and sell high performance homes at a far greater pace.

TECH & ESMAC Heat Pump Water Heater Education
2023-10-09 07:00 - 09:00
Manufacturers Heat Pump Water Heating (HPWH) Education session focused on technology features and benefits, appropriate applications, energy efficiency compared to other water heater types, installation techniques, and best practices, service support and warranty, proper maintenance, troubleshooting, and selling strategies.

Heat Pump Fundamentals: Space Conditioning and Water Heating – Class 4: High Performance Fundamentals Series
2023-10-04 15:00 - 17:00
This is class 4 of 6 in 3C-REN’s High Performance Fundamentals Certificate series. Earn a 3C-REN certificate of completion after finishing the series and passing short quizzes at the end of each class. This series will be hosted twice throughout 2023.
Having gained a solid understanding of high-performance building enclosures from classes 1 through 3 in 3C-REN’s High Performance Fundamentals series, participants are well-prepared for this class, which will provide a foundation in the use of heat pumps for both space conditioning (heating and cooling) and water heating. The class will cover what a heat pump is and explain why heat pumps are essential elements of high performance buildings. Special attention will be paid to refrigerants: how heat pumps use them, how to avoid leaks through proper installation, and why it’s important to avoid leaks due to the damage they can cause to contractor profitability and the planet. An overview will be provided to aid in selecting, sizing, installing, and commissioning heat pump equipment, so that it performs as intended.

Benefits and Installation of Heat Pump Water Heaters
2023-10-04 10:00 - 12:00
The material covers the move to water heating electrification and focuses on the basic questions surrounding the transition in electric residences. Includes several studies and myths and methods for new construction and retrofits. California code issues are covered for both new construction and retrofits. A Webcast with a sample HPWH covering the various features and design elements.

Crafting High Performance Enclosures: Roofs, Walls, and Floors – Class 3 High Performance Fundamentals Series
2023-09-28 15:00 - 17:00
This is class 3 of 6 in 3C-REN’s High Performance Fundamentals Certificate series. Earn a 3C-REN certificate of completion after finishing the series and passing short quizzes at the end of each class.
Building enclosures – the roof, walls, and floor – are the first line of defense between nature and people. Enclosure performance is optimized when air sealing and insulation – two underappreciated and typically underperforming features – are done to high-performance standards rather than the status quo. The preceding class in our High Performance Fundamentals program (How Buildings Work; Science and Buildings and Science in Buildings) covered the scientific principles needed to effectively design high-performance buildings. This class covers installation — the practical application of those principles on the job site – the hands-on activities that differentiate ‘business-as-usual’ from high-performance construction. These include best practices for air sealing, insulation installation, and window installation, along with the tools and methods (e.g., blower door testing) used to measure the quality of work, and the metrics against which the work can be evaluated.

Virtual Selling Mini-Boot Camp
2023-09-22 08:30 - 12:00
Selling Energy’s new Virtual Selling Mini-Boot Camp is optimized for busy energy professionals. This sponsored training package consists of: two half-day live/online webinars; access to the webinar recordings for a full year; free access to Segment Guides™; and, ongoing live/virtual coaching with instructor Mark Jewell, an award-winning sales trainer and Wall Street Journal bestselling author with 30 years of experience selling energy projects.

Join us for the encore of the Virtual Selling Mini-Boot Camp on September 22, from 8:30 AM to 12:00 noon Pacific, live online.

Electric Heat Pumps for Water Heating
2023-09-21 09:00 - 12:00
As our electricity supply becomes cleaner due to an increased use of renewables for generation, along with a growing number of local ordinances prohibiting gas installs in new homes, electricity becomes an attractive fuel source to designers and builders interested in reducing residential greenhouse gas emissions and creating zero carbon homes.
Dan Perunko of Balance Point Home Performance will present on efficiency gains, and overcoming common installation pitfalls from electric heat pump water heaters in new and existing buildings. Class discussion will cover the advantages and limitations of these systems, the available technology and refrigerant types, as well as features like load flexing.

Scaling Heat Pump Adoption: BlocPower’s Electrification Journey
2023-09-20 12:00 - 13:30
BlocPower is a national climate technology company partnered with municipalities and utilities to deliver end-to-end decarbonization retrofits at scale. In this webinar, you’ll hear BlocPower’s approach to stakeholder alignment, community engagement and building long-term, high-value contractor partnerships. Head of Project Operations Leia Sims will walk you through BlocPower’s toolkit for driving decarbonization projects for customers of all income levels and at every stage of the electrification journey—including for buildings that require remediation. You’ll also virtually tour a featured BlocPower electrification project in PG&E service territory.

Building Resilience: Keeping the Lights on in an All-Electric Future
2023-09-20 09:00 - 12:00 | Yerba Buena Room (Bay Area Metro Center), 375 Beale Street, San Francisco, CA, 94105, United States
State and local policies are pushing our built environment toward all-electric buildings in order to save energy and reduce climate impacts, and at the same time we are experiencing challenges such as wildfires, heat events, and brownouts. Join us to hear about building and community scale solutions that can help create a resilient built environment for everyone, including energy efficiency, load shifting, demand response strategies, and more. This Forum is free and open to all, and will be in a hybrid format with options to attend in person or virtually.
Yerba Buena Room (Bay Area Metro Center)
375 Beale Street
San Francisco, CA 94105

Residential Heat Pump Water Heater Technology, Sales and Installation Challenges Part 2
2023-09-20 09:00 - 11:00
This course establishes a clear value proposition for residential heat pump water heater scenarios, while addressing key barriers to their adoption. It also provides targeted sales training to identify customers and opportunities for client-facing staff and stakeholders while delving into key installation considerations including space limitations, noise, condensate management, sizing, operational modes, and error codes.

Residential Heat Pump Water Heater Technology, Sales and Installation Challenges Part 1
2023-09-19 13:00 - 15:00

Regenerative Design in Practice: Zero Net Carbon Design Series
2023-09-19 12:00 - 13:30
The Zero Net Carbon Design (ZNCD) Series, will begin with the background and an overview of carbon in the building industry, then focus content on energy performance and renewable energy, water-savings as energy-savings, embodied carbon, and finally regenerative design.
The courses have been developed to fulfill the new California requirement for architects to have five hours of ZNCD education as part of their license renewal. Although created with architects in mind, the content is broadly applicable across the building industry.
There are 1.0 HSW|LUs available per class, we encourage you to register for the rest of the series for the full 5 hours of learning units.
Class 5: Regenerative Design in Practice

The Green Summit - San Diego (In Person & Online)
2023-09-16 14:00 - 21:00 | San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, United States
The Green Summit is an afternoon of TED talk style presentations and panels featuring leaders in business, tech, and finance, sharing their vision for a sustainable future, along with networking opportunities, raffles worth thousands of dollars of prizes, and ending with a rooftop happy hour.
Speaking Schedule
3:00-3:15pm – Dylan Welch – CEO of Green.org
3:15-3:30pm – Ellen Spooner – Communications Specialist at NOAA
3:30-3:45pm – Karin Burns – CEO of San Diego Community Power
3:45-4:00pm – Juan Pablo Alcon – Environmental Lawyer
4:00-4:15pm – Natalia King Quick – SD Brew Cycle
4:15-4:30pm – Greg Reid – NY Times Best Selling Author
4:30-4:40pm – Intermission
4:40-5:00pm – Panel – San Diego Community Leaders
5:00-5:15pm – Christina Chang – Head of Sustainability at Adore Me
5:15-5:30pm – Hap Klopp – Founder of North Face
5:30-5:45pm – Don Owens – CEO of Black Carbon Coalition
5:45-6:00pm – Sharon Vidal – Head of Sustainability at Illumina
6:00-6:15pm – Yi Gi – CEO of Renology
6:15-7:00pm – VIP Happy Hour
7:00-9:00pm – General Admission Happy Hour – The Nolan

Upgrading to an All-Electric Home: A Residential Case Study
2023-09-15 13:00 - 15:00
In 2019, Wei-Tai Kwok wondered how hard it would be to get rid of all his gas appliances and upgrade to an all-electric, zero-emission home. He thought it would be difficult and time consuming to change out his gas furnace, gas water heater, gas fireplace and gas cooktop. It turns out that he was wrong and it took him just 45 days. Come join Wei-Tai for a virtual tour of his suburban home, where he will share his experiences, strategies and suggestions for helping you take steps to upgrade your own home to join the all-electric movement and achieve a zero-emission home.

Virtual Selling Mini-Boot Camp
2023-09-15 08:30 - 12:00
Selling Energy’s new Virtual Selling Mini-Boot Camp is optimized for busy energy professionals. This sponsored training package consists of: two half-day live/online webinars; access to the webinar recordings for a full year; free access to Segment Guides™; and, ongoing live/virtual coaching with instructor Mark Jewell, an award-winning sales trainer and Wall Street Journal bestselling author with 30 years of experience selling energy projects.

Join us for the encore of the Virtual Selling Mini-Boot Camp on September 15 and 22, from 8:30 AM to 12:00 noon Pacific, live online.

Using Building Science to Design and Build High Performance Homes – Class 2: High Performance Fundamentals Series
2023-09-14 15:00 - 17:00
This is class 2 of 6 in 3C-REN’s High Performance Fundamentals Certificate series. Earn a 3C-REN certificate of completion after finishing the series and passing short quizzes at the end of each class.
Description: Most of us either have or would like to forget our high school biology, chemistry, and physical science. But believe it or not, it’s spot on to translate that science into how buildings actually work. This course applies essential building science principles to the design and construction of climate-tuned, resilient, top-value homes that are better for owners, better for the environment, and better for your work as building professionals.
What’s “better value” for owners, the environment, and you? Using science to integrate energy efficiency, thermal comfort, moisture management, durability, and resilience.

Electric Heat Pumps for Space Heating and Cooling
2023-09-14 09:00 - 13:00
As our electricity supply becomes cleaner due to increased use of renewable’s for generation along with a growing number of local ordinances prohibiting installs in new homes, electricity becomes an attractive fuel source to designers and builders interested in reducing residential greenhouse gas emissions and creating zero net energy buildings. Dan Perunko of Balance Point Home Performance will present on efficiency gains and emissions reductions from electric heat pumps in new and existing buildings and will cover the advantages and limitations of these systems, the available technology and refrigerant types. Discussion will touch on interactions with indoor air quality issues and building enclosure considerations.

Installing Heat Pumps: Lessons from the Field
2023-09-13 09:30 - 11:00
Heat Pumps are a big part of the solution to meeting California’s climate goals in buildings. In plain terms, they’re reversible air conditioners and have been around for over 100 years. This session is designed for HVAC contractors, builders, and others who want to understand how to install heat pumps right. We will cover how heat pumps can add value to your business, how heat pumps work and various configurations, and how to overcome common installation hurdles. Hurdles covered include dealing with existing ductwork, filtration requirements, cold weather, sizing, and electrical requirements. We will also discuss first costs, operating costs, and incentives.

10th Annual Net Zero Conference
2023-09-13 - 2023-09-14 | Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA, 90015, United States
World-Class Education Sessions
Featuring content on: Agriculture, Biophilia, Buildings, Energy, Fashion, Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, Materials, Personal Care, Technology, Transit, Waste, Water
Inspiring Keynotes
World-class speakers from multidisciplinary backgrounds have held our conference stage. Previous Keynote speakers from XPRIZE, Edison International, NASA, Seventh Generation, Zero Hour, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and more.
Networking Across Industriesi
1,500 attendees from 53 countries and 45 U.S. states spanning all industries

How to Electrify Your Home – Planning Considerations
2023-09-12 16:00 - 18:00
Homeowners around the world are beginning to embrace electrification (the switch from gas-fired to electric-powered appliances). When done correctly, home electrification brings a plethora of benefits including better air quality, improved comfort, lower environmental footprint, and in many cases quieter operation.
The path to going all-electric can take many forms. For some, this means upgrading one appliance at a time; for others, it means replacing them all at once and offsetting with on-site solar. Regardless of the timeline, there are some important planning steps that must take place, as well as a continual vision for optimizing efficiency. Special attention should be paid to electrical panel optimization, appliance location, and considerations for maximizing efficiency.

Practical Guide to All-Electric Residential Buildings
2023-09-12 08:30 - 12:30
The case for building All-Electric is stronger than ever. All-Electric homes are cheaper to build and operate, healthier and more comfortable to live in, and have GHG emissions roughly half that of mixed fuel homes. The 2022 California energy code will accelerate adoption of All-Electric building and this class will show why electric homes facilitate easier energy code compliance. Taught by two instructors who have built all-electric homes for themselves and are experts in the field, you’ll get an insider view of how to design and build electric, with examples from their professional work, how to overcome common objections and obstacles, and lessons learned from the field. Attendees will gain a better understanding of the technologies that enable All-Electric homes, including heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction cooking, and heat pump clothes dryers.
