2024 has been a busy year for the VAEEC and the industry. The recently released US Energy and Employment Report states that the energy efficiency sector saw a 3.4% growth rate, adding over 75,000 jobs nationwide in the highest jump since 2018. Federal incentives are also pushing energy efficiency measures faster than ever before. Our staff has been hard at work to be part of that progress. 

Utility Programs

During the General Assembly Session, the VAEEC was instrumental in the passage of both the Savings Achieved Via Efficiency Act (SAVE) and the updates to the High Performance Building Act. The SAVE Act creates a single cost/benefit test for utility energy efficiency programs that is based on the National Standards Practice Manual. Stakeholder proceedings to design the new test kick off in September, with expert technical assistance from Energy Futures Group and E4TheFuture. This updated test will allow for deeper energy savings and align Virginia with best practices across the country. 

There are also two open proceedings to set the energy savings targets for Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company, as codified in the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). Stay tuned for our September blog post for a deeper dive into these hearings and other info on utility programs – it’s an exciting time!

Programs

In late June, we welcomed our new Workforce Director onboard and have been working hard to launch the Energy Efficiency Workforce Initiative. This program focuses on training and placement of HVAC and weatherization workers in the Hampton Roads area. It is already garnering a lot of interest from the community, and we are excited to see the progress. We also added a workforce page on our website to track the success. 

We have also been deeply engaged with Virginia Energy and other partners around the federal funds coming from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These complex laws have a lot of components and shifting deadlines, so we have worked to act as a resource for members and advocates to ensure that these funds are put to their best possible use. 

Events

In May, we welcomed three new Board members and over 100 attendees at our Spring 2024 Forum. Guests braved high humidity and blustery storms to network and learn from our expert speakers, then moved to Capital Ale House for a fun happy hour. Thanks to everyone who came out! 

Looking forward, we hope to see all of you in a few short weeks at the Energy Efficiency Forum on October 2nd and 3rd. Registration is open and we are still accepting sponsors to help make the event a success. 

We also are excited about the Virginia Clean Energy Summit on October 16th and 17th in Richmond, and are looking forward to the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance Summit and Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference coming up in November. Fall is a busy time for energy efficiency professionals! 

EE is all around! 

Conferences aren’t the only reasons for VAEEC staff to travel. Over the year, we’ve been lucky enough to catch some examples of energy efficiency in the wild. Rebecca visited the LEED certified National Building Museum with friends and family, and learned more about all the ways that buildings affect people and the environment. Jessica spotted the energy efficiency grades in New York City building windows. One of the VAEEC kids even started at a local LEED certified high school! 

On the flip side, Chelsea had the opportunity to educate an AirBnB owner on what not to do when an overloaded outlet took out their hot water on vacation! 

With Q4 just around the corner, we’re excited to finish 2024 with the same progress and momentum that we’ve seen so far.