Program of the Year Nominees

TEMA Awards in Excellence

The TEMA Awards in Excellence program recognizes and celebrates the outstanding achievements of energy professionals and organizations across the association. These prestigious awards honor individuals, teams, and organizations that demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and dedication to advancing energy efficiency, sustainability, and best practices in the energy sector. The TEMA Awards in Excellence program serves as a platform to showcase exemplary projects, inspires continuous improvement, and fosters a collaborative community of energy professionals committed to building a more sustainable energy future.

Awards Election Committee:

Jeff Pulkinen - jpulkinen@dickinsonisd.org

Shauna Alderman, Member - sdibella@aisd.net

Malek Bekka, Member - mbekka@emaengineer.com

Michael Barnes - michael.barnes@cmta.com

2026 Energy Program of the Year Nominees

TEMA wants to recognize an energy management program committed to sustainability that exemplifies what it takes to be a steward of energy management in the public sector. This award goes to an organization whose program not only exemplifies strong technical understanding but manages all of the nuanced challenges of an energy management program, getting support from various stakeholders and establishing internal and external partners while implementing sound energy conservation strategies. This program exhibits outstanding performance and presents a good example for others to follow.

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Harris County

Established in March 2023, the Harris County Energy Management Program has rapidly transformed a decentralized utility operation into a high-performing, data-driven framework. In support of the County’s Climate Action Plan, the program successfully benchmarked over 2,350 electric meters and established a 2023 baseline, prioritizing projects across a complex portfolio that exceeds 320 million kWh in annual consumption. Key technical milestones include conducting ASHRAE Level 1, 2, and 3 energy audits, upgrading Building Automation Systems (BAS), and implementing a countywide Demand Response portal. Furthermore, the program secured 100% renewable energy coverage through credits and is currently installing solar and battery storage systems at 16 resiliency hubs.

The program's financial sustainability is anchored by the Revolving Energy Efficiency Fund (REEF), which reinvests verified utility savings and incentives into future energy projects. During FY24 and FY25, these initiatives generated over $3.8 million in verified savings and incentives, avoiding more than 24 million kWh of electricity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 8,044 MT CO2. This success earned the County the "Government Entity Top Performer of the Year" award from CenterPoint Energy. By embedding sustainability into capital planning and launching a robust employee education campaign, the County has created a scalable model that integrates energy management into its long-term institutional culture.

Supplemental Info

Katy ISD

Katy ISD’s Energy Management Department has implemented a comprehensive districtwide strategy focused on reducing utility costs while ensuring a comfortable learning environment. Central to this program is a multi-tiered benchmarking system that includes monthly EUI tracking and weekly real-time smart meter monitoring, allowing Energy Coordinators to generate work orders immediately when inefficiencies are detected. The district has successfully integrated energy efficiency into its long-term governance through a bond program that prioritizes high-efficiency chillers, LED lighting, and advanced building automation controls. Furthermore, a strong culture of awareness is maintained by working closely with campus administrators and custodial teams on shutdown checklists and standardized HVAC schedules.

The quantitative success of the program is demonstrated by a rolling 12-month district EUI of 39.8 and an average annual utility cost of approximately $1.01 per square foot for 2025. For the month of December 2025 alone, electric utility costs decreased by 3.2% year-over-year, totaling $840,232. These financial results are supported by significant cost-avoidance measures, including securing $2,461,106 in SCORE rebates over the last three years. As of late 2025, more than 78% of the district's facilities have qualified for the Energy Star label, reflecting sustained operational excellence and effective resource management.

Supplemental Info
Klein ISD

The Klein ISD Energy Program, led by Melissa Crizer and her team, operates under a strategic "Regulation" framework that allows for agile operational adjustments without requiring constant Board approval. The program is supported by a nearly 50-member Energy Team of district ambassadors, including principals and department directors, who meet twice annually to align on goals and celebrate incentive achievements. Technical operations are data-driven, utilizing a Building Optimization Technologies platform for live meter monitoring and threshold alerts, alongside a dedicated commissioning agent who performs regular campus audits and findings reports. Standard conservation guidelines are strictly enforced, such as mandatory computer shutdowns, a 68F heating set-point, and a 74F cooling set-point during occupied hours.

Financially, the program is unique because it lacks a traditional dedicated budget for improvements; instead, it reinvests over $2.7 million in earned incentives from demand response and load management programs into efficiency projects like LED lighting and HVAC upgrades. A significant portion of these funds, over $151,000, has been shared directly with participating campuses to address budget shortfalls and encourage local conservation efforts. This culture of shared responsibility has led to a more than 4% decrease in district-wide electricity usage this year. As of the 2024–2025 fiscal year, Klein ISD manages over 9.6 million square feet with an Energy Use Index (EUI) of 39.34 and a utility cost intensity of $1.03 per square foot.

Supplemental Info