Energy

Texas ranks 6th in the nation for energy consumption per capita. The demand for energy use is growing across North Texas with the ever-increasing population. In order to reduce energy consumption and increase energy efficiency, entities must evaluate their energy usage. Below are tools, resources, and case studies to support local governments, educational institutions, and public and private entities’ efforts to implement programs to reduce energy use and increase energy efficiency in the public and private sector.


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This tool, created by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), incorporates energy efficiency data and renewable energy opportunities to improve data-driven state and county energy planning across the United States.
Intermediate
Take a Load Off, Texas informs consumers of the energy efficiency and renewable energy incentive programs offered by Oncor.
Basic
Target Finder assesses energy performance of commercial building designs and existing structures.
Advanced
In 2016, Texas updated its statewide energy codes placing local governments in the position of power to implement and enforce them within their jurisdictions. Energy codes are adopted statewide and serve as the baseline for all building practices. The local adoption of energy and building codes proves challenging for industries to remain informed of when code changes occur. Therefore it is up to the local jurisdictions to provide clear instruction to enable code compliance. With over 1,200 cities, towns and villages that have the authority to implement energy codes, it is important to equip these local governments with the proper tools and resources.
TRACS facilitates the implementation of sustainable solutions within Texas higher education organizations through expertise, educational resources, and training as well as an annual summit.
Intermediate
TREIA seeks to advance the growth of the renewable energy industry in Texas.
Intermediate
The Texas Trees Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose goals are to create an urban forest by planting trees on public streets, boulevards, and rights-of-way and to improve parks and public natural green spaces.
Basic
The Texas Trees Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose goals are to create an urban forest by planting trees on public streets, boulevards, and rights-of-way and to improve parks and public natural green spaces.
Basic
This tool is intended to help local government officials screen tools and resources designed to measure the emissions, energy, and economic impacts of current and prospective initiatives at both the government operations and community-wide scales.
The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides a forum for the exchange of ideas, information, and experiences among industry leaders and policy makers in the fields of land use and real estate development.
Intermediate
Vision North Texas is a public-private partnership with a goal of increasing public awareness about important regional land use issues that affect mobility, air quality, water supply, and other economic and environmental resources.
Basic
The Water Use Tracking Tools help commercial and institutional facility managers as well as utilities track water use over time and analyze the data monthly to identify seasonal water use patterns, leaks, high-water-use or malfunctioning equipment or other issues at a facility.
Intermediate
The Weatherization Assistance Program reduces energy costs for low-income households through weatherization materials and education.
Intermediate
WegoWise uses an online tool to benchmark energy and water usage in order to identify opportunities for savings and measure results.
Advanced

As the largest energy consumer in the United States, Texas’ demand for power is growing faster than any other state and continues to rise as the population grows. In fact, Texas’ demand for power continues to grow faster than any other state in the U.S.