Efficient, Flexible Heating at Grid Scale
Heating air and water in millions of homes and businesses is a major driver of winter peak electricity demand in much of the country. As demand and utility bills rise, how we heat our buildings has become a grid-scale question.
Efficient, flexible space and water heating systems, for individual rooms to large buildings, are the answer. They lower bills, improve comfort, help keep the power on reliably during extreme weather, and avoid the need for costly new power plants. Getting there means installing these modern systems in millions of buildings, training a skilled workforce, and running programs that reach the households struggling most with energy bills.
ACEEE's Hot Water and Hot Air Forums are the nation’s premier policy and technical conferences on advancing efficient, clean space and water heating. Join us in Nashville to learn about the latest in equipment performance, system design, and the policies and programs that drive deployment, with practical takeaways for your own work. Hear from industry leaders and connect with manufacturers, utilities, researchers, engineers, program implementers, and policymakers working to bring efficient heating to millions of buildings.
Individual presentations, ideas for full sessions with multiple speakers, and ideas for workshop sessions are welcome. You may submit up to two presentations for consideration. The deadline for submitting a presentation is Friday, October 9.
Presentations may be submitted for consideration under one of the following tracks:
Affordability / Economics / Workforce
- Approaches for communities facing the highest energy burdens
- Incentives to speed technology adoption
- Rate designs that prioritize efficient affordability
- Health impacts of hot water and hot air systems
- Workforce training, quality installation, and engagement
- Contractor business models
- 120V equipment
Policies and programs
- Strategies for large-scale deployment
- Innovative business models and products
- AI and automation for programs
- Load growth and integration into utility planning (IRPs, VPPs)
- Macro-economic analysis/modeling
- Building codes, building performance standards, and home energy ratings
- Program design and marketing
System Design
- Design for resilience and extreme conditions
- Plumbing, ducting, and system sizing
- Regionally appropriate system designs
- Controls and integration with building systems
- Accelerating retrofits and existing-building constraints
- Avoiding electric service and panel upgrades
- Thermal energy networks
- System performance, COP, hot water delivery
- Dual-fuel systems
Equipment
- Equipment performance
- Appliance standards
- Demand flexibility
- Refrigerants, manufacturing, and other challenges
- AI and automation for equipment
Submissions will be judged blind by a Steering Committee made up of HVAC and hot water experts from a range of organizations. Submissions will be evaluated on factors including:
- Impact potential
- Relevance to conference themes
- Originality/novelty of findings or perspectives
- Quality of content
Individuals may submit up to two proposals. If both proposals are accepted, the submitter will be required to identify an alternate presenter to deliver one of the presentations.
Please note that the forum will be an in-person event held at the Hilton Nashville Downtown in Nashville, TN. All presenters will be expected to register and attend in-person. Only one presenter per presentation will be allowed. Registration and accommodations will open in November. For more information, visit the webpage.
