National Cooling Standards Initiative
State and Territory Energy Office Summer Webinar Series
Cooling Technology, State Climate Plans, and Low-Income Households
Hosted by NASEO, CEPC, and the ClimateWorks Foundation
The Center for Energy Poverty and Climate (CEPC), the ClimateWorks Foundation, and the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) are hosting a series of webinars during June and July 2024 to discuss several topics related to state energy plans, cooling technology, and low-income populations. Each session will include presentations by expert speakers that lay out the problem and potential solutions, followed by a moderated discussion between participants and speakers.
Session 1: Preview of CEPC/NASEO Report: Beating the Heat: Recommendations and Considerations for States to Support Cost-Effective Residential Cooling
Tuesday, June 4, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
In this first session, NASEO and CEPC previewed their new report “Beating the Heat: Recommendations and Considerations for States to Support Cost-Effective Residential Cooling.” The report offers guidance for State and Territory Energy Offices about cost-effective residential cooling, including topics such as centering consumer protections and affordability, determining how to prioritize households, and fostering interagency and intergovernmental partnerships.
- Download June 4 slides
- Recording coming soon
Session 2: Protecting Vulnerable Populations from Extreme Heat
Thursday, June 13, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
In this session, Dr. Christopher Worsham of Harvard Medical School and Katherine Catalano of the Center for Climate, Health and Equity at the American Public Health Association discussed the ways in which low-income populations are even more vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat due to lack of adequate cooling. Dr. Worsham and Ms. Catalano also highlighted the need for public health data to inform public policy and discussed potential ways to combat the urban heat island effect, which many low-income families that live in urban areas are affected by.
- June 13 slides coming soon
- Recording coming soon
Session 3: State Examples of Comprehensive Affordable Cooling Strategies
Thursday, June 20, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
In this session, State and Territory Energy Officials (including speakers from Arizona and Hawaii) will present on the ways in which they are currently addressing the need for affordable cooling in their states, including developing comprehensive extreme heat preparedness plans, conducting needs assessments that prioritize low-income and vulnerable populations, exploring community-level electrified thermal energy solutions, and supporting the funding and financing of widely deploying energy efficient heat pumps.
Session 4: Funding & Financing the Energy Transition, Braiding Federal & State Funds
Tuesday, July 2, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
In the last session of this four-part webinar series, experts will discuss the various federal and state programs that can be braided to fund and finance highly efficient cooling equipment and supportive energy efficiency upgrades for income-constrained households.