Energy Trust Insider

EPS New Homes Solar + Storage Webinar
2025-04-03 08:00 - 09:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Illuminate new possibilities with Energy Trust New Homes solar + storage incentives!
Energy Trust is offering new solar + storage incentives to Oregon residential new construction builders. This webinar hosted by EPSTM New Construction highlights:

Solar + storage incentives available to builders
How to qualify for these offerings

Register to find out how you can receive solar + storage incentives for your next project.

2025 BuildRight Conference
2025-04-30, 2025-05-01 | The REDD on Salmon the Central Eastside Industrial District Portland, OR 97214, The REDD on Salmon the Central Eastside Industrial District, Portland, OR, 97214, United States
Join the Home Builders Association of Greater Portland for the 2025 Build Right Conference in Portland, OR. The conference brings together builders, designers and industry professionals from the Pacific Northwest to discuss energy efficiency best practices, advancements and workforce development in residential new construction.
Attendees will get the opportunity to hear from industry experts, network, and receive RESNET and CCB credits for attending. Register before March 31 to secure early bird pricing.

Solo Training Webinar
2025-05-08 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar
Energy Trust is pleased to announce Solo has been approved as a solar resource tool for establishing incentive eligibility for Energy Trust of Oregon’s Solar + Storage program. Our incentive processing team will now accept solar resource reports from Solo with incentive applications.
Join us for a training with Solo representatives on how to use their solar resource tool.

Allies for Efficiency webinar: Literary Arts Headquarters
2026-01-21 12:00 - 13:30 | Webinar
Join Energy Trust of Oregon on Jan. 21 for a live Allies for Efficiency webinar highlighting the new headquarters for the Portland nonprofit Literary Arts. Located in a historical 1904 building on Southeast Grand Avenue, the renovation transformed a long-vacant, 14,000-square-foot structure into a vibrant cultural hub, advancing Literary Arts’ mission of engaging readers, supporting writers and building community through storytelling. The center is now one of the largest physical spaces in the nation devoted to literature and storytelling.
Learn how the project team worked to preserve the beauty of the original wood floors, exposed timber and extensive brickwork while integrating modern building systems that improve performance and comfort that will serve Portland’s literary community well into the future.
Hear the project team discuss how they:

Preserved historical architectural elements while reinforcing the structure with full seismic upgrades, updated fireproofing and modern safety systems
Installed rooftop solar panels, which provide a portion of the building’s energy use
Integrated high-performance features, including all-electric building systems
Designed flexible, multipurpose spaces to host readings, classes, podcasts, workshops and live events

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how this thoughtful renovation connects community, history and sustainability in one project. Whether you’re designing cultural programming, historic preservation or high-performance energy standards, this case study is for you!
When:
Wednesday, Jan. 21
Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Where:
Webinar presentation through GoTo Webinar.
Webinar login information provided at event registration.
CEUs available: 1.5 AIA HSW credits, pending approval.
Presenters:

Hazel Valdez, managing director, Literary Arts
Amy Donohue, principal, Bora Architecture & Interiors
Corey Squire, associate principal, Bora Architecture & Interiors

Post Occupancy Evaluations with Net Zero Fellow Maggie Harris in Lincoln City
2026-05-05 12:00 - 13:30 | Pelican Brewing, 5911 SW Hwy 101, Lincoln City, OR, 97367, United States
Connect over lunch and dive into new affordable multifamily research—save your spot today
Join your peers on May 5 in Lincoln City for a free lunch and engaging in-person discussion with Energy Trust of Oregon’s latest Net Zero Fellow, Maggie Harris of Holst Architecture. Maggie will share her team’s research, which establishes a practical post-occupancy evaluation methodology for affordable multifamily housing projects that explores the relationship between building performance and resident perceptions.
Come learn how Lincoln City is advancing net-zero projects on the Oregon Coast—insights gained in the research have the potential to strengthen net‑zero strategies across the entire coastal region.
Hear Maggie share her report, produced in collaboration with colleagues at Holst, which includes:

An overview of traditional post-occupancy evaluations and why a human-centered approach is critical when assessing affordable housing projects

Key themes that emerged from a pilot study for a permanent housing program, including resident‑identified priorities such as comfort, safety, maintenance and community connection, alongside early building‑level findings related to ventilation performance and energy use

How this new mixed-methods approach can be applied as a practical solution for other affordable multifamily housing projects

We hope to see you there!
1.5 AIA HSW CEUs are available, pending approval.
WHEN:
Tuesday, May 5
Noon – 1:30 p.m.
WHERE:
Pelican Brewing – Siletz Bay
5911 SW Hwy 101
Lincoln City, OR 97367
About the presenter:
Maggie Harris
Senior associate, Holst Architecture
Maggie Harris is a lifelong Oregonian who currently resides in Portland. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and Communication from the University of Oregon and earned a Master of Architecture, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Real Estate Development, from Tulane University. As a project manager at Holst Architecture and a Ph.D. student at Portland State University’s School of Urban Studies, she is entrenched in both housing design and research. Her research focuses on the intersections between housing and health, examining the impact of housing on the mental health and well-being of low-income populations.
During her career, she has managed a range of housing projects throughout the country, including permanent supportive, affordable, market-rate and student housing. Working across a range of geographies and project scales has helped Maggie understand the importance of distinct housing solutions tailored for specific population sets. In September 2024, Maggie joined the Oregon Housing Stability Council, which reviews and sets policy for the development and financing of affordable housing in Oregon. Maggie is also a mother of a busy toddler and is passionate about ensuring he grows up understanding that housing is a human right, as reflected by the community in which we live.

Post-Occupancy Evaluations with Net Zero Fellow Maggie Harris in Bend
2026-05-14 16:30 - 18:00 | The Breakroom, 1055 “B” NW Newport Ave., Bend, 97703
Join your peers on May 14 in Bend for free catered bites and engaging in-person discussion with Energy Trust of Oregon’s latest Net Zero Fellow, Maggie Harris of Holst Architecture. Maggie will share her team’s research, which establishes a practical post-occupancy evaluation methodology for affordable multifamily housing projects that explores the relationship between building performance and resident perceptions.
As communities in Central Oregon pursue interests in net‑zero development, this research offers timely insights that can help strengthen sustainable building strategies across the region.
Hear Maggie unveil her report, produced in collaboration with colleagues at Holst, which includes:

An overview of traditional post-occupancy evaluations and why a human-centered approach is critical when assessing affordable housing projects
Key themes that emerged from a pilot study for a permanent housing program, including resident‑identified priorities such as comfort, safety, maintenance and community connection, alongside early building‑level findings related to ventilation performance and energy use
How this new mixed-methods approach can be applied as a practical solution for other affordable multifamily housing projects

We hope to see you there!
1.5 AIA HSW CEUs are available, pending approval.
WHEN:
Thursday, May 14
4:30 – 6 p.m.
WHERE:
The Breakroom
1055 “B” NW Newport Ave.
Bend, OR 97703
Enjoy post-event networking at the Broken Top Bottle Shop.
About the presenter:
Maggie Harris
Senior associate, Holst Architecture
Maggie Harris is a lifelong Oregonian who currently resides in Portland. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and Communication from the University of Oregon and earned a Master of Architecture, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Real Estate Development, from Tulane University. As a project manager at Holst Architecture and a Ph.D. student at Portland State University’s School of Urban Studies, she is entrenched in both housing design and research. Her research focuses on the intersections between housing and health, examining the impact of housing on the mental health and well-being of low-income populations.
During her career, she has managed a range of housing projects throughout the country, including permanent supportive, affordable, market-rate and student housing. Working across a range of geographies and project scales has helped Maggie understand the importance of distinct housing solutions tailored for specific population sets. In September 2024, Maggie joined the Oregon Housing Stability Council, which reviews and sets policy for the development and financing of affordable housing in Oregon. Maggie is also a mother of a busy toddler and is passionate about ensuring he grows up understanding that housing is a human right, as reflected by the community in which we live.

Energy Trust's Phoenix Regional Presentation and Networking Event
2026-07-30 12:00 - 13:30 | Phoenix Plaza Civic Center, 220 North Main Street, Phoenix, OR, 97535, United States
Energy Trust invites you to a free luncheon to hear about case studies, new research and energy-savings approaches for local projects.

Come join us on Thursday, July 30, for a special in-person presentation and networking event at the Phoenix Plaza Civic Center. Attendees will enjoy catered Hawaiian food and a discussion by Energy Trust of Oregon’s commercial and industrial programs, including our Building Performance Standard Pathway offer. Learn how these programs and offers can help you meet your project’s energy efficiency and resiliency goals in the Southern Oregon region and across the state.

EPS New Homes Webinar: Real World Strategies for High Performance Model Homes
2026-08-19 08:00 - 09:00 | Online
In this EPS New Homes webinar, attendees will learn about the program’s solar + storage and Net Zero model home offerings, get a step-by-step walkthrough of completed solar + storage model homes from a local builder in the Portland area, and more!
