Trainings & Events

The intensifying threats of climate change, including flooding and extreme heat, are especially evident in cities - home to the majority of the globe's population. To address these challenges, there is growing investment in urban forests and tree planting as “nature-based solutions” to build resilience and reduce environmental inequities. Throughout this seminar series, urban forestry experts will share their use of data to effectively resolve management problems and measure the efficacy of different solutions. Bringing a range of experience across government, research, and nonprofit leadership, lecturers will present insights to guide decision-making for more equitable, green, and climate-ready cities.

Speakers include:

• Freetown, Sierra Leone’s Treetown Strategy: Manja Kargo, Team Lead of Mayor’s Delivery Unit

• The Importance of High-Resolution Land Cover Mapping: Paige Brochu, Director of University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Lab

• Trees Cool the City but Feel the Heat: Mike Alonzo, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at American University

• Health Benefits of Urban Greening: Matt Browning, Co-Director of the Virtual Reality & Nature Lab

The series is free and open to the public.  Each session will be recorded.  CEUs will be offered for urban foresters in attendance through the Society of American Foresters (SAF) and CT DEEP.

More information is available on the Hixon website. For any questions, please contact [email protected].
 

The Community Partnership Initiative seeks to leverage the local knowledge, trusted relationships, and experience of local community groups, nonprofit organizations, and environmental justice municipalities in Connecticut who are committed to raising awareness and measurable participation in the Sponsors’ energy efficiency offerings within their own communities.

Applicants are asked to share information on outreach campaigns that they would like to undertake during 2025 in their community to: drive participation in Energize Connecticut energy efficiency programs including Home Energy Solutions^SM – Income Eligible and Small Business Energy Advantage; increase income eligible customer heat pump adoption; and conduct outreach to renters and property owners/managers of multifamily properties with 5+ dwelling units promoting the Multifamily Initiative.

Informational webinars will be held on Tuesday, January 21 at noon and 7:00 p.m.

• To sign up for the noon webinar, please click here.

• To sign up for the 7:00 p.m. webinar, please click here.

Open question forums will be held on Tuesday, February 4 at noon and 7:00 p.m. The forums will briefly cover the information presented during the January webinars and focus on Q&A from prospective applicants.

• To sign up for the noon forum, please click here.

• To sign up for the 7:00 p.m. forum, please click here.

Round 3 Applications are Due Friday, March 14, 2025 by 5:00 p.m. Access the application and learn more on EnergizeCT.com.
 

The Community Partnership Initiative seeks to leverage the local knowledge, trusted relationships, and experience of local community groups, nonprofit organizations, and environmental justice municipalities in Connecticut who are committed to raising awareness and measurable participation in the Sponsors’ energy efficiency offerings within their own communities.

Applicants are asked to share information on outreach campaigns that they would like to undertake during 2025 in their community to: drive participation in Energize Connecticut energy efficiency programs including Home Energy Solutions^SM – Income Eligible and Small Business Energy Advantage; increase income eligible customer heat pump adoption; and conduct outreach to renters and property owners/managers of multifamily properties with 5+ dwelling units promoting the Multifamily Initiative.

Informational webinars will be held on Tuesday, January 21 at noon and 7:00 p.m.

• To sign up for the noon webinar, please click here.

• To sign up for the 7:00 p.m. webinar, please click here.

Open question forums will be held on Tuesday, February 4 at noon and 7:00 p.m. The forums will briefly cover the information presented during the January webinars and focus on Q&A from prospective applicants.

• To sign up for the noon forum, please click here.

• To sign up for the 7:00 p.m. forum, please click here.

Round 3 Applications are Due Friday, March 14, 2025 by 5:00 p.m. Access the application and learn more on EnergizeCT.com.
 

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Building owners, managers, and service providers

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar Level: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced

Every other Wednesday at noon, ENERGY STAR holds a Portfolio Manager “Ask the Expert” session. It’s a live webinar that gives all users an opportunity to ask their questions directly to EPA experts in an open forum. Want to talk to a “real” person? Have a question about how Portfolio Manager calculates your score? Want to learn more about entering Green Power? Join ENERGY STAR and they’ll answer all your questions about Portfolio Manager in this public forum.
 

The Partners for Places matching grant program supports & equitable sustainability projects and helps build partnerships between local government leaders, frontline community groups and place-based funders in the U.S. and Canada.

These matching awards provide partnership investments between $45,000 and $100,000 for one-year projects, or between $75,000 and $150,000 for two-year projects, with one or more local foundations required to provide at least a 50% matching grant.

The deadline to submit proposals is February 28, 2025.

Are you curious to learn more about submitting a successful proposal for the Partners for Places grant program? Join The Funders Network on Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. ET for an informational webinar to learn more!
 

Join the Connecticut Green Bank as experts provide an update on Green Bank programs and solutions for homes, buildings, and investments. Topics will include updates on Energy Storage Solutions, C-PACE, Smart-E, Environmental Infrastructure, and more.
 

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Energy managers, facility managers, sustainability professionals, and service providers

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar Level: Intermediate and Advanced

IMPORTANT: The method for entering green power in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager has changed. Join ENERGY STAR to learn how to correctly benchmark properties that use offsite electricity. When green power is entered correctly—capturing the various flows of grid and renewable electricity in and out of the property—Portfolio Manager accounts for the impact of offsite renewables on energy performance and greenhouse gas emissions.

This training will cover:

• The data required to enter offsite green power.
• How to enter offsite green power into Portfolio Manager.
• The impacts of offsite green power on ENERGY STAR metrics.
• The eligibility requirements for NextGen.

Note: Green power will be a requirement for ENERGY STAR NextGen certification (available this winter).

Speaker:

• Maddy Albee, ICF

Hosted by the New England Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center, this webinar is designed to equip community organizations and environmental justice leaders with practical guidance on how to successfully identify and submit proposals for environmental justice projects. To address the unique needs and challenges faced by underserved and/or low-capacity communities, this webinar will walk participants through the submission process, ensuring that proposals stand out and meet funding agencies’ requirements. Key topics include:

• Overview of the grant proposal process
• Steps and timeline for grant writing: Best practices for writing and submitting proposals
• Tips for preparing supporting documents, such as budgets and letters of support
• Avoiding common mistakes before, during, and after the submission process
• Tips for navigating barriers and increasing competitiveness

Join the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven for a presentation and discussion with DataHaven's Mark Abraham about the recently compiled 2024 DataHaven Community Wellbeing Survey. The survey includes responses from more than 7,000 live, in-depth interviews with randomly-selected adults in every Connecticut town. With data from more than 50,000 survey responses since 2015, DataHaven will present trends on key issues for Connecticut and Greater New Haven such as community vitality, health equity, and family economic security. New topics that were added to the survey include entrepreneurship, mental health care, and family and child well-being. A conversation with The Community Foundation staff and Q & A with the audience will follow the presentation.
 

Connecticut’s cost-of-living crisis is holding back economic growth, with nearly half of residents lacking economic security exacerbated by the state’s elevated housing costs. How can policymakers respond with targeted solutions that strengthen the economy and support the state’s workforce?

Come hear from housing expert Kristen Klurfield of the Bipartisan Policy Center as she discusses her report, Exploring the Affordable Housing Shortage's Impact on American Workers, Jobs, and the Economy, and Deputy Commissioner Matt Pugliese of Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development, as the Partnership launch’s our 2024 legislative priorities. State legislators, policy leaders, and housing advocates are welcome to come explore how investments in deeply affordable housing can drive economic growth and create lasting community stability.

Experts will explore data-backed policies that address housing as a critical economic strategy—boosting workforce stability, business development, and long-term prosperity. Discover how targeting our state investments towards deeply affordable housing solutions can reduce economic inequality and create opportunity for low-wage workers while driving statewide growth.

Agenda

1:00 – Partnership Welcome

1:10 – Opening Remarks: Deputy Commissioner Matt Pugliese, CT DECD

1:30 – Keynote Presentation: Senior Policy Analyst Kristen Klurfield, Bipartisan Policy Center

2:15 – Panel of CT Residents and Business Leaders, more speaker information to come

3:00 – Closing and Legislative Action Items
 

This free, three-part, virtual equity workshop series provides a comprehensive framework of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion. Attendance at all three sessions is required.

Sessions run 10:00 am – 12:00 pm on: February 4, March 4, and March 25. Content will be geared to help Sustainability Teams integrate equity considerations into their Sustainable CT initiatives. Anyone is welcome to register and participate.

Attendance is capped at 35. This will be a live, interactive training and will NOT be recorded. Please only sign up if you intend to participate for the duration of each session.

Attendees will actively participate in three different workshops:

February 4: Be READI© for Municipalities - This workshop introduces the foundational principles of the Be READI© framework. During the session, participants will learn values-based strategies for integrating belonging, representation, equity, access, diversity, and inclusion into their core functions and services.

March 4: Anti-Racism in Action - This workshop empowers municipal leaders to implement anti-racism initiatives by elevating the conversation from awareness to action. This session provides a roadmap for turning anti-racist principles into tangible improvements in municipal governance.

March 25: Facilitating Race Dialogues - This session takes the art of conversation to the next level, offering techniques for leaders to facilitate dialogues on race. The focus will be on managing complex dynamics, navigating sensitive topics, and using conversational frameworks that promote deeper understanding and collective progress.

This webinar is eligible for Certified Connecticut Municipal Official (CCMO) professional development credit from the CT Conference of Municipalities.
 

The Community Partnership Initiative seeks to leverage the local knowledge, trusted relationships, and experience of local community groups, nonprofit organizations, and environmental justice municipalities in Connecticut who are committed to raising awareness and measurable participation in the Sponsors’ energy efficiency offerings within their own communities.

Applicants are asked to share information on outreach campaigns that they would like to undertake during 2025 in their community to: drive participation in Energize Connecticut energy efficiency programs including Home Energy Solutions^SM – Income Eligible and Small Business Energy Advantage; increase income eligible customer heat pump adoption; and conduct outreach to renters and property owners/managers of multifamily properties with 5+ dwelling units promoting the Multifamily Initiative.

Informational webinars will be held on Tuesday, January 21 at noon and 7:00 p.m.

• To sign up for the noon webinar, please click here.

• To sign up for the 7:00 p.m. webinar, please click here.

Open question forums will be held on Tuesday, February 4 at noon and 7:00 p.m. The forums will briefly cover the information presented during the January webinars and focus on Q&A from prospective applicants.

• To sign up for the noon forum, please click here.

• To sign up for the 7:00 p.m. forum, please click here.

Round 3 Applications are Due Friday, March 14, 2025 by 5:00 p.m. Access the application and learn more on EnergizeCT.com.
 

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Anyone new to the use of Portfolio Manager

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Webinar Level: Beginner

Join ENERGY STAR as they introduce and demonstrate the core functionality of EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. Attendees will learn how to navigate Portfolio Manager, add a property and enter details about it, enter energy and water consumption data, and generate performance reports to assess progress.

Attend this webinar if you’re interested in:

• Getting started with benchmarking.
• Understanding how to assess your energy performance.
• Generating reports.

Speaker:

• Mimi Smith, ICF

The Community Partnership Initiative seeks to leverage the local knowledge, trusted relationships, and experience of local community groups, nonprofit organizations, and environmental justice municipalities in Connecticut who are committed to raising awareness and measurable participation in the Sponsors’ energy efficiency offerings within their own communities.

Applicants are asked to share information on outreach campaigns that they would like to undertake during 2025 in their community to: drive participation in Energize Connecticut energy efficiency programs including Home Energy Solutions^SM – Income Eligible and Small Business Energy Advantage; increase income eligible customer heat pump adoption; and conduct outreach to renters and property owners/managers of multifamily properties with 5+ dwelling units promoting the Multifamily Initiative.

Informational webinars will be held on Tuesday, January 21 at noon and 7:00 p.m.

• To sign up for the noon webinar, please click here.

• To sign up for the 7:00 p.m. webinar, please click here.

Open question forums will be held on Tuesday, February 4 at noon and 7:00 p.m. The forums will briefly cover the information presented during the January webinars and focus on Q&A from prospective applicants.

• To sign up for the noon forum, please click here.

• To sign up for the 7:00 p.m. forum, please click here.

Round 3 Applications are Due Friday, March 14, 2025 by 5:00 p.m. Access the application and learn more on EnergizeCT.com.
 

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Building owners, managers, and service providers

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar Level: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced

Every other Wednesday at noon, ENERGY STAR holds a Portfolio Manager “Ask the Expert” session. It’s a live webinar that gives all users an opportunity to ask their questions directly to EPA experts in an open forum. Want to talk to a “real” person? Have a question about how Portfolio Manager calculates your score? Want to learn more about entering Green Power? Join ENERGY STAR and they’ll answer all your questions about Portfolio Manager in this public forum.
 

Relevant Building Sectors: U.S. commercial and industrial buildings

Recommended For: Anyone who is responsible for benchmarking to comply with mandatory state or local requirements (i.e., building owners, managers and/or service providers)

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Webinar Level: Beginner

Are you a building owner who needs to comply with a state or local mandatory benchmarking requirement? Do you have little or no experience using EPA’s Portfolio Manager tool?

You’ve come to the right place! This webinar will serve as a beginner’s guide to Portfolio Manager and provide you with all the essential “how-to” information you need to start benchmarking and reporting your building data to your local or state government. Topics will include understanding how state and local jurisdictions use EPA’s Portfolio Manager tool to facilitate reporting and how to set up your Portfolio Manager account and properties, enter energy data, and report or share data with your jurisdiction. 

NOTE: Each jurisdiction has different requirements for compliance. This webinar will not address requirements specific to any one local or state government but will present general information on how to use Portfolio Manager and report data in the ways most commonly required under these laws.

Topics include:

• How to prepare for compliance with a U.S.-based state or local benchmarking ordinance
• Getting started with Portfolio Manager
• Requesting energy and water data from your utility 
• Getting assistance from an ENERGY STAR service and product provider partner
• Responding to a data request
• Sharing your property with a local jurisdiction for reporting

This webinar put on by the Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) and the CT GIS Office will showcase several new statewide geospatial datasets generated using GeoAI from the 2023 high-resolution LiDAR and imagery data. The webinar will introduce new statewide geospatial products including tree canopy height, plant area index, and foliage height diversity, and will discuss how these products contribute to downstream analysis and synthesis efforts, such as urban tree equity, forest carbon modelling, and roadside vegetation management.
 

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Those with a basic knowledge of Portfolio Manager who want to learn about the tool’s more advanced features 

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Webinar Level: Intermediate

Build on your basic knowledge of EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool by taking a deeper dive into more advanced features, such as editing property data, correcting and updating property use details, using the data quality checker, and sharing property data with other users.

Attend this webinar if you’re interested in:

• Going beyond the basics of Portfolio Manager functionality.
• Learning about property sharing, improving data quality, and more.

Speaker:

• Chris Costello, ICF

Relevant Building Type: All commercial buildings

Recommended For: Building owners, managers, and service providers

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Webinar Level: Beginner

Join ENERGY STAR to learn about applying for ENERGY STAR certification in Portfolio Manager. Understand the value of the ENERGY STAR certification, see the step-by-step process of applying, and gain tips to help your property get from application to award.
 

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Building owners, managers, and service providers

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar Level: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced

Every other Wednesday at noon, ENERGY STAR holds a Portfolio Manager “Ask the Expert” session. It’s a live webinar that gives all users an opportunity to ask their questions directly to EPA experts in an open forum. Want to talk to a “real” person? Have a question about how Portfolio Manager calculates your score? Want to learn more about entering Green Power? Join ENERGY STAR and they'll answer all your questions about Portfolio Manager in this public forum.
 

Join Sustainable CT for our February Coffee Hour about the roles of municipal sustainability staff in Connecticut! Cecelia Drayton, Director of Sustainability for the City of Hartford, Megan Granato, Sustainability and Resilience Manager for the Town of Groton, and Danielle Petretta, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Stamford will be speaking about their work, how their communities are tackling sustainability, and answering your questions.

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Regular users of Portfolio Manager who want to learn its most advanced features

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Webinar Level: Advanced 

Are you well-versed in the basic functionality of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool and ready to take advantage of more advanced features? If so, join this webinar to learn about the tool’s most advanced features, including using spreadsheet upload templates to update property data, setting goals and targets to plan energy improvements for properties, creating custom reports, and using the Sustainable Buildings Checklist.

Attend this webinar if you’re interested in:

• Learning about Portfolio Manager’s most advanced features, including goal setting, custom reports, and more

Speaker:

• Chris Costello, ICF

Relevant Building Sectors: All U.S. commercial buildings

Recommended for: Professional engineers and registered architects

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar Level: Beginner

Do you verify commercial building applications for ENERGY STAR certification? This webinar, based on the ENERGY STAR Guide for Licensed Professionals, covers the role of the licensed professional, as well as requirements for verifying commercial building applications for ENERGY STAR certification.
 

Relevant Building Sector: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Professional Engineers and Registered Architects

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Webinar Level: Beginner

Join ENERGY STAR to learn how to apply for Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR Recognition, the EPA's recognition program for design projects. Experts will walk through benchmarking the project in Target Finder and Portfolio Manager, downloading the Statement of Design Intent (SEDI), and submitting the completed form to the EPA.
 

Five years ago, when CCM created a series of initiatives called CCM CARES, they did not know what kind of impact it would make. But by their fifth roundtable, over 10,000 people tuned in. It was clear to them that this work was important to the people of Connecticut. And more so that there was more work ahead of them.

CCM dreamed up an idea that they could connect underrepresented communities with people who had the tools and know-how to run for public office or to serve on boards or commissions in their towns and cities. They partnered with The Campaign School at Yale, reached out to leaders throughout the state and devised a two-day training, full of invaluable insight and free to all who want to attend.

They called it Representation Matters.

This year CCM is proud to be celebrating FIVE YEARS of Representation Matters because they believe representation does matter. CCM hopes you can join them on March 1 and 8 for their free two-day virtual training, with a focus on local office.

Save the dates and be on the lookout for their registration email coming soon. Check out CCMCARES.Com for more information as CCM fills out their roster of speakers. And be sure to share this message!
 

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Anyone new to the use of Portfolio Manager

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Webinar Level: Beginner

Join us as we introduce and demonstrate the core functionality of EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. Attendees will learn how to navigate Portfolio Manager, add a property and enter details about it, enter energy and water consumption data, and generate performance reports to assess progress.

Attend this webinar if you’re interested in:

• Getting started with benchmarking.
• Understanding how to assess your energy performance.
• Generating reports.

Speaker:

• Mimi Smith, ICF

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Building owners, managers, and service providers

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar Level: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced

Every other Wednesday at noon, ENERGY STAR holds a Portfolio Manager “Ask the Expert” session. It’s a live webinar that gives all users an opportunity to ask their questions directly to EPA experts in an open forum. Want to talk to a “real” person? Have a question about how Portfolio Manager calculates your score? Want to learn more about entering Green Power? Join ENERGY STAR and they’ll answer all your questions about Portfolio Manager in this public forum.
 

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Those with a basic knowledge of Portfolio Manager who want to learn about the tool’s more advanced features 

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Webinar Level: Intermediate

Build on your basic knowledge of EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool by taking a deeper dive into more advanced features, such as editing property data, correcting and updating property use details, using the data quality checker, and sharing property data with other users.

Attend this webinar if you’re interested in:

• Going beyond the basics of Portfolio Manager functionality.
• Learning about property sharing, improving data quality, and more.

Speaker:

• Chris Costello, ICF

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial and industrial buildings

Recommended For: Anyone interested in learning about the pros and cons of a variety of options for financing energy efficiency projects

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Webinar Level: Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

The webinar will review key factors managers should consider when comparing different financing options such as energy performance contracting and off-balance sheet financing. Bonds are introduced, but not discussed in detail. 

You’ll also be introduced to the Cash Flow Opportunity Calculator, which helps inform strategic decisions about financing energy efficiency projects and calculates the cost of delay when postponing projects. Using the tool, you will be able to estimate how much new equipment you can finance using anticipated savings, as well as whether you should finance now, or wait for a lower interest rate or for funding to be added to a future capital budget.
 

Relevant Building Type: All commercial buildings

Recommended For: Building owners, managers, and service providers

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar Level: Beginner

Join ENERGY STAR to learn about applying for ENERGY STAR® NextGen in Portfolio Manager. ENERGY STAR® NextGen™ is a new level of certification for U.S. commercial and multifamily buildings. It builds on the ENERGY STAR certification, available since 1999. ENERGY STAR NextGen-certified buildings are independently verified to be among the nation's most energy-efficient, low-emissions buildings. Understand the value of the ENERGY STAR NextGen, see the step-by-step process of applying, and gain tips to help your property get from application to award.
 

Relevant Building Sectors: Water and wastewater treatment plants

Recommended For: Owners, managers, and/or service providers

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Webinar Level: Intermediate/advanced

Join ENERGY STAR for a Portfolio Manager training session specifically for water and wastewater treatment plants. Learn how to customize the tool to see metrics that are particularly relevant to these facilities.

Prerequisite: Portfolio Manager 101

Speakers:

• Audra Agajanian, Senior Analyst at The Cadmus Group
• Mimi Smith, ICF

Relevant Building Sectors: U.S. commercial and industrial buildings

Recommended For: Anyone who is responsible for benchmarking to comply with mandatory requirements (i.e., building owners, managers and/or service providers)

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Webinar Level: Beginner

Now that you’ve benchmarked, what’s next? Join ENERGY STAR to understand how to interpret your results and your building’s performance. Learn how you can take things to the next level with more insights into your building’s performance metrics and use your data to identify actionable energy and cost saving opportunities!

NOTE: This session will focus on U.S. benchmarking policies only.

Topics include understanding building performance metrics such as:

• The 1-to-100 ENERGY STAR score
• Energy use intensity
• Greenhouse gas emissions
• How to check your building and energy data for errors
• Using benchmarking data to develop an energy management plan

Relevant Building Type: All commercial buildings

Recommended For: Service Providers

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar Level: Beginner

Do you verify commercial building applications for ENERGY STAR® NextGen? ENERGY STAR® NextGen™ is a new level of certification for U.S. commercial and multifamily buildings. It builds on the ENERGY STAR certification, available since 1999. ENERGY STAR NextGen-certified buildings are independently verified to be among the nation's most energy-efficient, low-emissions buildings. This webinar, based on the ENERGY STAR Guide for Licensed Professionals, covers the role of the licensed professional, as well as requirements for verifying commercial and multifamily building applications for ENERGY STAR NextGen.
 

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Building owners, managers, and service providers

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar Level: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced

Every other Wednesday at noon, ENERGY STAR holds a Portfolio Manager “Ask the Expert” session. It’s a live webinar that gives all users an opportunity to ask their questions directly to EPA experts in an open forum. Want to talk to a “real” person? Have a question about how Portfolio Manager calculates your score? Want to learn more about entering Green Power? Join ENERGY STAR and they’ll answer all your questions about Portfolio Manager in this public forum.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

The Connecticut Land Conservation Conference is Connecticut's premier gathering for land conservation enthusiasts, boasting a vibrant mix of nearly 600 attendees. This unique event stands out for its dynamic blend of training, networking, and information-sharing designed for land trusts, conservation groups, and those interested in land conservation across Connecticut.

Join a broad spectrum of attendees representing municipal land use commissions, state agencies, private groups with conservation missions including enthusiasts from garden clubs and various grassroots-level land conservation advocates, students, and more!
 

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended for: Regular users of Portfolio Manager who want to learn its most advanced features

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Webinar Level: Advanced 

Are you well-versed in the basic functionality of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool and ready to take advantage of more advanced features? If so, join this webinar to learn about the tool’s most advanced features, including using spreadsheet upload templates to update property data, setting goals and targets to plan energy improvements for properties, creating custom reports, and using the Sustainable Buildings Checklist.

Attend this webinar if you’re interested in:

• Learning about Portfolio Manager’s most advanced features, including goal setting, custom reports, and more

Speaker: 

• Chris Costello, ICF

Relevant Building Sectors: All commercial buildings

Recommended For: Facility managers, building owners, consultants, or employees interested in water efficiency

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar Level: Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

Reducing utility costs for your facility doesn't have to involve major retrofits or renovations. Significant water and cost savings can be achieved with small changes to operation and maintenance procedures and changes to user behavior. Learn about no- and low-cost solutions that can be implemented to start saving water in buildings right away, without the need for costly capital improvements.

Speakers:

• Kersey Manliclic, Environmental Protection Specialist, U.S. EPA
• Holly Cannon, Environmental Scientist, Eastern Research Group

This free, three-part, virtual equity workshop series provides a comprehensive framework of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion. Attendance at all three sessions is required.

Sessions run 10:00 am – 12:00 pm on: April 10, May 8, and June 12. Content will be geared to help Sustainability Teams integrate equity considerations into their Sustainable CT initiatives. Anyone is welcome to register and participate.

Attendance is capped at 35. This will be a live, interactive training and will NOT be recorded. Please only sign up if you intend to participate for the duration of each session.

Attendees will actively participate in three different workshops:

April 10: From Unconscious Bias to Systemic Change - This workshop goes beyond recognizing unconscious bias to crafting strategies for systemic change. The session offers theoretical insights and practical tools to reshape the municipal landscape for equity and justice.

May 8: Race & Community - Deepening Engagement and Solidarity - This workshop is designed to deepen community engagement around issues of race and racism. This interactive session will focus on building partnerships, coalitions, and networks that can amplify efforts to challenge racism and build equitable communities.

June 12: Persuasion for Progress - Influencing Change in Community Attitudes - Aiming to create progressive shifts in community attitudes, this workshop provides participants with nuanced approaches to community conversation, listening, resistance, and persuasion. Understanding that change often meets resistance, this session equips leaders with psychological insights and advanced communication strategies to transform skepticism into support for the Be READI© principles.

This webinar is eligible for Certified Connecticut Municipal Official (CCMO) professional development credit from the CT Conference of Municipalities.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

This free, three-part, virtual equity workshop series provides a comprehensive framework of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion. Attendance at all three sessions is required.

Sessions run 10:00 am – 12:00 pm on: June 17, July 22, and August 26. Content will be geared to help Sustainability Teams integrate equity considerations into their Sustainable CT initiatives. Anyone is welcome to register and participate.

Attendance is capped at 35. This will be a live, interactive training and will NOT be recorded. Please only sign up if you intend to participate for the duration of each session.

Attendees will actively participate in three different workshops:

June 17: Be READI© Leadership - Championing Equity at the Forefront - "Be READI© Leadership: Championing Equity at the Forefront" is a workshop for those ready to lead by example in equity and inclusion. Participants will explore leadership techniques, including influencing organizational culture, inspiring teams, and leading equitable change initiatives that yield measurable results.

July 22: Measuring What Matters - Assessing DEI Impact in Municipalities -  "Measuring What Matters: Assessing DEI Impact in Municipalities" focuses on tracking progress and evaluating the impact of DEI initiatives. Municipal leaders will learn to collect and analyze data, report on findings, and use insights to drive continuous improvement and accountability in DEI efforts.

August 26: Sustainable Change - Institutionalizing Be READI© Practices - "Sustainable Change: Institutionalizing Be READI© Practices" is designed to ensure the longevity and resilience of DEI efforts. Leaders will be equipped with strategies for policy development, stakeholder engagement, and creating a municipal infrastructure that supports lasting DEI integration.

This webinar is eligible for Certified Connecticut Municipal Official (CCMO) professional development credit from the CT Conference of Municipalities.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.