Addressing electrical constraints significantly increases costs and delays in home retrofit projects that aim to reduce household energy costs, making projects less cost-effective and impractical. Furthermore, there are concerns that new electric loads will place a great strain on our energy infrastructure. To address both household and grid-level issues requires a better understanding of peak power in homes and developing Low Power Electrification strategies and technologies.  

•    Highlighting not just energy efficiency but power efficiency
•    Looking at cost data and other practical examples. 
•    Debating if we are ready for this
•    Assessing stakeholder evolvement 

•    Identifying and leveraging available incentives - identifying and applying for the range of financial incentives available for retrofitting, including grants, rebates, and low-interest loans
•    Optimizing financial resources - strategies for combining and layering financial tools to win upfront costs, improve financial performance during retrofit projects, and ensure overall financial viability
•    Navigating complex grant, loan, eligibility and application processes - navigating the requirements for securing public and private funding and understanding each program’s priorities and meeting them
•    Overview of IRA funding opportunities – uncovering various funding streams provided by the IRA and how they can fit retrofit projects
•    Understanding recent federal funding changes – exploring how financial incentives have shifted under the new Administration, identifying uncertainties, and assessing their impact on retrofit financing strategies

•    The U.S. DOE’s Better Buildings Initiative supports organizations in reducing energy use and/or emissions by 20–50% within 10 years. Over 950 partners span industrial, commercial, public, and residential sectors.
•    This session highlights the Better Buildings Multifamily Initiative, a DOE-HUD partnership offering technical support and peer learning for multifamily housing organizations.
 

•    Regulatory framework and drivers
•    Technical & equipment options
•    Economic, Operational, GHG and Implementation Analysis 
 

•    Integrating energy justice frameworks and equity principles into retrofitting project planning to emphasize equitable outcomes.
•    Maximizing the economic benefits by creating local job opportunities, lowering energy costs, and improving living conditions in historically marginalized communities to reduce energy poverty.
•    Coordinating community inclusion in decision-making by engaging local communities in retrofitting project planning.
•    Measuring social impact: techniques for measuring and reporting on the social goals.
 

•    Cross-functional technical collaboration - learn approaches that build effective, cross-functional teams that work together seamlessly and foster long-lasting partnerships for future collaboration
•    Building trust - learn strategies to bolster trust among stakeholders, ensuring that all parties are aligned, responsive, and working toward the same objectives at the same time
•    Effective communication - ensuring regular, transparent communication to strengthen relationships, resolve issues and conflicts, and align different interests toward common goals
•    Data transparency - learn how sharing verified data with stakeholders, including government agencies and investors, can generate trust and confidence in cross-functional teams
 

Compliance in retrofitting is perpetually evolving, requiring careful attention to changes to local, state and federal – and international – codes, standards and mandates. This panel of regulatory experts will discuss the regulatory landscape for retrofitting projects, detail the key changes to codes and standards that govern compliance, and share how the retrofit community can shape future policy decisions.

•    Understanding compliance standards - review of the major standards that retrofitting projects must meet, including energy efficiency, emissions reductions, safety regulations, and social benefits
•    Who sets standards - discussion on the key governmental and non-governmental organizations, including their priorities (and political pressures), that develop and enforce compliance standards in the retrofitting industry, including international energy sustainability mandates
•    Future outlook on technical standards – understand how emerging technologies and design trends are impacting future compliance requirements
•    Influencing policymakers - discover ways the retrofit community can engage with policymakers to advocate for more practical, supportive regulations 
 

1. Achieving 60% Energy Savings: Retrofitting a Historic Headquarters
   •    Thermal Performance Upgrades: Enhancing insulation, windows, and HVAC efficiency to optimize heating.
   •    Geothermal System Integration: Utilizing ground-source heat pumps to replace traditional heating and cooling methods.
   •    Energy & Cost Savings: Projected 60% reduction in natural gas usage, improving sustainability and operational efficiency. 
   
   Matt Zweibruck, Stantec

Participants can join the round table of their choice. Each roundtable leader will spend the first 15 minutes on a case study, lessons learned, or industry update. This will be followed by a 45-minute open discussion with all participants, moderated by the leader. The final 15 minutes will be used to identify 3-5 industry recommendations resulting from the group discussion. Key recommendations will be shared with the entire audience, and all roundtable recommendations will be included in the post-event report.

1. Maximizing short-term asset value and long-term environmental / social impact: They are NOT mutually exclusive!

   Overview: The built environment ecosystem is in the throws of one of its most turbulent cycles.  While legacy asset owners are retracting to traditionally perceived safe spaces, marketplace visionaries (MPV) are taking advantage of this opportunity to invest in generationally responsible best practice designs, technologies, and policies that immediately attract money and tenants (asset value) while simultaneously creating long-term Natural and Human impact (also asset value).

   This roundtable will focus on monetizing the “Why” through a business-case centric discussion.  No master-economics, green rating system, or building science expertise required.  Bring some common sense and an open mind.

   David MacLean, ESG IMPACTS
    

2. Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration Models
   Identifying and involving key stakeholders (e.g., building owners, tenants, contractors) early in the planning process to ensure project buy-in and alignment.
   Marlene Plua, Stoic Energy Consulting
   Kimberly Olivares, City of Austin

Prior single-family deep-energy retrofit projects have found adding high levels of exterior wall insulation to be very challenging and costly due to the extensive, high-skill labor required to effectively manage control layers at wall penetrations and terminations. We apply digital processes to simplify the design, production, and installation of a complete set of lightweight insulated panels customized for each building. We will present our system comprising the following features:
•    Pre-fabricated four-inch thick insulated panel blocks (PBs) with integral cladding. 
•    Scan-to-BIM software that extracts building features from building scans and calculates their dimensions with high accuracy.
•    Panelization algorithms generate the complete set of PBs and trim pieces to clad each building, feeding a computer-aided manufacturing process.
•    Augmented reality guides installation of the PB system on each façade, eliminating on-site cutting and greatly decreasing the skill and time required to reclad the building.
 

The Texas State Capital Complex Retrofit Project is a benchmark for successful urban redevelopment achieved through local partnerships and community coordination. In this session, delegates will gain insights into the multifaceted approach taken to update and modernize historic buildings, how local agencies, city planners, and community organizations collaborated to overcome unique challenges, from logistical hurdles to sustainability goals, while ensuring that the retrofits met current environmental standards and the needs of their end-users.
 

•    Building a local talent pipeline - working with local schools and training providers, regional educational institutions and colleges, and accredited technical training centers to sustain a pipeline of skilled workers in the retrofitting sector
•    Upskilling existing workers and providing reskilling opportunities to meet the technical principles of net-zero retrofit projects
•    Workforce sustainability via long-term employment models, including apprenticeships, that create attractive career pathways for local workers
•    Workforce diversity and inclusivity strategies that ensure equitable access to training and employment opportunities and labour stability
 

•    Innovative Municipal Infrastructure – How the Northeast Service Center enhances Fleet Services and Austin Resource Recovery to improve citywide operational efficiency.
•    Sustainability Leadership – Achieving Austin Energy Green Building 3-Star Rating and WELL v2 Silver Certification, setting new benchmarks for municipal facilities.
•    Strategic Planning & Execution – The journey from property acquisition in 2013 to finalized design criteria in 2023, ensuring a future-ready service hub.
•    Impact on Workforce & Community – Integrating employee wellness, fleet readiness, and sustainability to support Austin’s long-term environmental and operational goals.
 

As climate change and urbanization drive the need for resilient infrastructure, property owners and managers must balance sustainability, cost, and efficiency across large portfolios. This panel brings together architects, engineers, designers, and project managers to explore strategies for retrofitting multiple residential, commercial, and institutional properties while enhancing long-term resilience.
•    Resilience as a Portfolio-Wide Strategy – Integrating resilience in architecture, engineering, and design across multiple properties to withstand climate and urban challenges.
•    Standardization for Efficiency – Optimizing materials, construction methods, and processes to ensure consistency, cost control, and sustainability across diverse retrofit projects.
•    Stakeholder Coordination & Risk Management – Aligning property managers, tenants, contractors, and engineers while proactively addressing delays, cost overruns, and regulatory challenges.
•    Lessons from Scalable Successes – Case studies on resilient retrofitting at scale, highlighting innovative approaches and emerging trends in adaptive design and project management. 
•    Climate resilient retrofit research and existing gaps – tools and technologies that we need to enhance the climate resilience of existing residential buildings against climate change and extreme weather through retrofit

Participants can join the round table of their choice. Each roundtable leader will spend the first 15 minutes on a case study, lessons learned, or industry update. This will be followed by a 45-minute open discussion with all participants, moderated by the leader. The final 15 minutes will be used to identify 3-5 industry recommendations resulting from the group discussion. Key recommendations will be shared with the entire audience, and all roundtable recommendations will be included in the post-event report. 
 

1. Training Retrofit Contractors for Home Energy Savings Programs & Implementing Efficiency Standards
   Discussing strategies for training retrofit contractors in alignment with the Home Energy Savings and Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), and exploring how to implement energy efficiency standards while integrating them into a general project delivery framework. - Adriano Scarano Ferreira, Austin Energy

2. Advancing Resilient Residential Retrofits
   Providing a brief introduction to the Resilient Residential Retrofit initiative launched by the National Research Council Canada (NRC) two years ago and sharing an overview of ongoing research and findings. - Marzieh Riahinezhad, National Research Council Canada