Chaden Halfhill

The theme is affordability through energy efficiency and demand-side solutions, including near-term consumer cost savings, grid reliability, peak-demand management, equitable access, and community resilience. The program covers passive-house design and construction; energy-efficiency and demand-side program design; grid resilience using distributed energy resources and the ENDURE tool; Iowa's Technical Reference Manual and savings calculations; residential energy assessments and upgrades; the gap between modeled and actual building performance; and data-driven planning for an affordable, accessible EV-charging network. A plenary panel examines three Iowa housing projects—the Ralston Eco Home, Goldfinch Lofts, and CyBear Lair—and how high-performance design, reduced energy waste and peak demand, project financing, and workforce development relate to affordability and reliability. Other sessions address Home Energy Rebates, utility programs and funding strategies; building controls for industrial and commercial energy savings; and agricultural irrigation demand response. The keynote is Abigail Corso, Chief Strategy Officer for Elevate Energy. The program also lists building tours and an IAEE annual meeting.