TACDC is excited to announce that it is partnering with Karen Brooks Crosby, Beth Brant, and Regina Nippert to bring a series of ten virtual trainings to Texas. This series of trainings can be the first building block in creating the statewide green infrastructure needed to transition organizations and communities to a healthier, data-based and more economically sustainable reality for Texas' growing population of 30 million people. Registration information will be made available in December for the January training.
Why Do We Need a Green CDC Training in Texas?
• Nearly one-third of Texans face high energy burdens, with low-income, minority, and rural communities disproportionately affected due to aging homes and inefficient infrastructure.
• Rising utility costs, grid upgrades, and new industrial demands like data centers threaten to worsen affordability and reliability across the state.
• While conservation and clean energy is a potential solution, public understanding is low and opinions are deeply divided along partisan lines, highlighting a need for broader education and policy focus on both supply and demand.
• Nearly 45% of households pay over $200 a month on average for summer electricity. About one-third of Texans spend 7% or more of their income on energy — surpassing the high energy burden threshold of 6%.
- University of Houston and Texas Southern University: Survey - October 2025
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Intro to Green Building and Overview of Types of 3rd Party Certifications
January 13
This session introduces the foundations of sustainable design and green building, with an emphasis on why certifications matter for affordable housing and community development. Participants will learn about the
most widely used third-party rating systems—including LEED, Enterprise Green Communities, WELL, Fitwel, and others—and how they can add
measurable value to projects. We will highlight the benefits of certification for long-term operations, funding opportunities, and healthier
communities.
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Passive Solar Design in Texas
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April 14
Good design doesn’t have to be expensive. In this session, we’ll explore how architects use the natural conditions of a site—like sun angles, shade, breezes, and microclimates—to create energy-efficient and comfortable housing. Participants will learn how building orientation,
window placement, shading devices, and overhangs can reduce cooling costs, improve comfort, and extend building life. These passive solar strategies are low-cost, practical, and especially well-suited to Texas’ climate, offering long-term savings for owners and healthier living
environments for residents.
Designing For Resilience
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February 10
Texas communities are increasingly challenged by hurricanes, flooding, extreme heat, unexpected winter storms, and power disruptions. This session will explore how affordable housing and community projects can
be designed to withstand and recover from these events. We’ll discuss practical design strategies—from site planning and material selection to
passive survivability and backup systems—that enhance resilience without breaking budgets. Attendees will gain tools to anticipate risks,
improve community safety, and ensure long-term durability and livability for residents, even in times of crisis.
Basic Energy Modeling & Why We Do It
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May 12
Energy modeling is a simple but powerful tool to inform design decisions and highlight opportunities for improved performance. This session will introduce the basics of energy modeling and explain how it helps architects, engineers, and owners evaluate different design options. We’ll focus on how modeling can guide conversations about efficiency, reveal strategies with quick paybacks, and support smarter choices early in the process. Attendees will gain an understanding of why investing in this step with their design team leads to more affordable and sustainable projects over time.
"From Redlined to Green: Equity through Sustainable Design"
March at TACDC Conference
Practiced throughout the 20th century, redlining and other discriminatory practices were used to segregate citizens and devalue homes in racially
mixed neighborhoods. We will provide a historic overview, its remaining impact, and steps designers can take today. We will highlight the case studies and strategies that is bring together designers, builders, funders and developers who are committed to using high performance building systems that exceed that result in social equity and lower energy bills.
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Renovation & Reuse: The Hidden Power of Existing Buildings
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June 9
Reusing and retrofitting existing buildings is one of the most impactful strategies for both sustainability and affordability. This session will
highlight how owners and nonprofits can extend the life of their building stock, saving on development costs while dramatically reducing
embodied carbon. We’ll discuss approaches to renovation and adaptive reuse that improve efficiency, comfort, and long-term performance.
Participants will also be introduced to tools such as CARE, which can help evaluate whether reuse or replacement is the best path forward.
Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how reusing buildings supports climate goals while strengthening communities.
LEED & The Living Buidling Challenge
July 14
This session introduces two of the most recognized third-party green building certifications: LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and the Living Building Challenge. We’ll provide a clear overview of each system, their core goals, and the major categories they evaluate —from energy and water efficiency to health, materials, and community impact. Participants will learn the basic steps required to pursue certification and how each can add value to attainable housing and community projects. The session will highlight what’s achievable, what to expect, and how these frameworks can guide better design and operations.
Carbon/Electrification & A Year In Review​
October 13
As the building industry accounts for a significant portion of global carbon emissions, understanding carbon impacts and strategies to
reduce them is essential for sustainable development. This session will provide a basic overview of how buildings contribute to carbon through both construction (embodied carbon) and operations (energy use), and the role of electrification in reducing emissions. We’ll also review key lessons from the year’s webinars, highlighting practical strategies and takeaways for affordable housing and community projects. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how design and material choices influence climate outcomes and how to apply this knowledge to their future projects.
WELL, Fitwell, & Healthy Materials​​
August 11
Healthy buildings mean healthier communities. This session will introduce the WELL Building Standard and Fitwel, two certification systems that focus on occupant health, comfort, and wellbeing. We’ll cover the basics of what each system measures—like air quality, light, fitness, and community connection—and how they can apply to affordable housing and community development. In addition, we’ll discuss the growing importance of healthy materials, including tools like Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Health Product Declarations (HPDs), and how transparency in product choices supports both certification and
healthier environments for residents.
Net Zero Energy (NZE)
September 8
Net Zero Energy (NZE) buildings produce as much energy as they consume over the course of a year, offering both environmental and financial benefits. This session will introduce the concept of NZE, the strategies used to achieve it—such as high-efficiency envelopes, passive design, and renewable energy systems—and how these approaches can be applied to affordable housing and community development projects.
Participants will gain a practical understanding of what “net zero” means, the design and operational considerations involved, and how even incremental steps toward NZE can reduce energy costs, improve comfort, and support sustainability goals.