Summit 2026

Meet new faces and reconnect with fellow Summit attendees as you settle in for the days ahead. Enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with heavy hors d’oeuvres and plenty of space to ease into all things Summit.

Where Baltimore’s shipbuilding and steel mills once stood, you’ll now find a busy destination for fun. One of America's oldest seaports dating back to the 1600s, the Inner Harbor is an important landmark and popular tourist destination today. It has everything, from scenic waterfront views to fresh seafood restaurants to spectacular museums. The architects of Baltimore’s Harbor place, Benjamin Thompson and Associates, also played a role in the development of Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market in Boston. 1.6 miles.

Located just a few blocks from Baltimore’s picturesque Inner Harbor, Little Italy holds its own as a cozy haven of Italian culture and delicacies. This cozy and colorful neighborhood just east of the Inner Harbor may be small, but you’ll find at least 20 authentic Italian cafes and eateries in Little Italy. As you stroll through the charming narrow streets, you may happen upon outdoor movies, evening bocce matches on the courts at D’Alesandro Park, or one of many Italian festivals throughout the year. Jonestown in Downtown Baltimore offers centrally-located rowhomes at affordable prices convenient to both Downtown and the Johns Hopkins Hospital East Baltimore campus. Large, three-story rowhouses are the norm here as the area was once home to some of the wealthiest families in Baltimore. Jonestown contains numerous landmarks, including the 1828 brick Phoenix Shot Tower, once used to manufacture shotgun pellets, and the 1793 Star Spangled Banner Flag House museum. 1.3 miles.

Join our Executive Director Maggie Molina as she kicks off NEEP Summit 2026 | The Power of Us with help from Maryland Leaders. This fast-paced session will set the tone for our day and the entire program. 

Utility regulators play an instrumental role in advancing energy affordability to help customers lower their energy bills. Across the region, low-cost demand-side solutions - energy efficiency, demand flexibility, and thoughtful rate design – remain essential tools for reducing customer costs while meeting growing capacity and energy needs, especially during an era of accelerating load growth. 

At the same time, rising affordability pressures have prompted some states proposing scaling back demand-side investments, raising important questions about long‑term impacts on customers and the grid. 

In this plenary session, utility regulators from the Northeast and Mid‑Atlantic will share their perspectives on the role of energy efficiency, electrification, and demand flexibility in affordability strategies. The conversation will explore how policies, business models, and rate structures can be designed to unlock low‑cost demand‑side resources that support both customer affordability and system reliability.

As large‑load customers—from data centers to advanced manufacturing—connect to the grid, we should leverage these new loads as an opportunity to drive affordability through investments in community-focused energy efficiency. This session invites attendees into a dialogue with experts on emerging models like “Bring Your Own Distributed Capacity,” how large customers can participate in integrated resource planning, and what it takes to ensure impacts and benefits are shared equitably across communities. 

Designed for attendees to benefit from shared knowledge and experience of those who have “been there”, case study sessions include presentations coupled with an audience Q&A segment.

With federal funds receding, project teams are turning to braided and stacked financing to keep multifamily efficiency work moving. This case study brings together perspectives of an affordable housing developer and a multifamily lender to share how they navigated funding gaps, aligned multiple sources, and kept projects viable. Attendees will hear practical steps and lessons learned from real‑world experience. 

Designed for attendees to benefit from shared knowledge and experience of those who have “been there”, case study sessions include presentations coupled with an audience Q&A segment.

States and utilities are demonstrating new ways to expand residential efficiency in the single-family market. In this case study, program leaders will share their journey to scale—what sparked the shift, how new measures were integrated, and what it takes to deliver meaningful customer benefits. The session will highlight replicable strategies and lessons for others seeking to grow their impact. 

A curated panel and facilitator are at the ready to field your questions. At these sessions, we trust our audience to steer the conversation.

Electric rates that rely heavily on volumetric charges based on meeting the summer peak can distort the true cost of service and complicate the economics of electrification. In this interactive discussion, regulators and utilities will respond to questions about seasonal heat pump rates, time‑of‑use structures, demand charges, and consumer protections. Speakers will reflect on lessons from early implementations and explore what’s next for rate innovation.

A curated panel and facilitator are at the ready to field your questions. At these sessions, we trust our audience to steer the conversation.

With consumer backlash against rising energy bills, states and utilities are exploring new tools to support customer affordability, especially for low-to-moderate income (LMI) households. This session opens the floor for a candid conversation on income‑based rates, balanced billing, pairing weatherization with rate assistance, and other innovative approaches to supporting long-affordability. Panelists will share what’s working, where challenges remain, and how these approaches can meaningfully reduce energy burden.

A curated panel and facilitator are at the ready to field your questions. At these sessions, we trust our audience to steer the conversation.

Stretch codes and above‑code programs are reshaping new construction. This discussion brings together participants in projects such as ACEEE’s Near Zero codes project to field questions about the costs and benefits of building above code, and supporting communities as they adopt more ambitious building standards. Attendees will hear practical insights on successes, challenges, and lessons learned.

A curated panel and facilitator are at the ready to field your questions. At these sessions, we trust our audience to steer the conversation.

Unwind after a full day of programming with a relaxed reception built for conversation and connection. Meet new faces, reconnect with others, and keep the energy of the day going as we close out Day One together. 

An optional chance to continue the conversation over dinner at local restaurants with NEEP staff and small groups of fellow attendees. NEEP will coordinate reservations, and each group will split the bill. Sign up at the Info Center to join in. 

Established in 1763, Fell’s Point is a city, state and National Historic District and boasts more than 300 buildings on the National Register, including the oldest standing residence in Baltimore City, the Robert Long House. One of the oldest neighborhoods in Baltimore, Fell’s Point was once a bustling shipbuilding port. Its visage has remained largely unchanged since its founding—picture Belgian block streets, waterfront restaurants and cozy boutiques just a few blocks east of the Inner Harbor. 1.5 miles.

Efficiency policy is evolving quickly, with states advancing new approaches and others cutting budgets amid affordability, equity, and cost concerns. As states strive to balance competing priorities, policymakers, utilities, and program administrators are rethinking how efficiency programs are designed, how much funding they receive, and who delivers and benefits from them. This plenary brings together policy and program experts to explore how efficiency programs can remain both economically viable and socially equitable, while putting people first and continuing to play a central role in the energy transition. The discussion will examine where progress is accelerating, where we face headwinds, and how states are charting different paths to scale equitable demand-side solutions. Attendees will gain insight into the key opportunities, trade-offs, and policy choices shaping the next era of energy efficiency. 

Data access is central to implementing Building Performance Standards, and utilities play a pivotal role in making it work. In this audience‑guided conversation, utilities will discuss data‑sharing frameworks, attribution models, and the practical challenges of supporting BPS compliance. The session will focus on what’s needed to streamline implementation and strengthen utility‑local partnerships. 

A curated panel and facilitator are at the ready to field your questions. At these sessions, we trust our audience to steer the conversation.

Many homes with the greatest efficiency potential are deferred from programs due to health and safety issues. This session invites participants to explore the economic case for funding pre‑weatherization work and hear how programs are addressing housing quality barriers through new funding models and partnerships. Panelists will respond to audience questions about what it takes to keep projects moving instead of turning customers away.

A curated panel and facilitator are at the ready to field your questions. At these sessions, we trust our audience to steer the conversation.

Thermal energy networks are emerging as a compelling option for decarbonizing buildings at scale. In this one‑on‑one spotlight, an expert practitioner will walk through the realities of site selection, system design, cost, financing, and performance. The session will illuminate when and where thermal networks offer clear advantages for customers and planners. 

Appliance standards remain one of the most effective policies for long‑term savings, and the policy landscape is shifting quickly. In this solution spotlight, experts will unpack federal backstop legislation, upcoming opportunities for standards of fans and blowers, state leadership amid EPCA litigation, and the messaging challenges of the moment. Attendees will engage in discussion, explore where states can lead next and opportunities for regional coordination. 

Meeting energy efficiency goals depends on a skilled, robust contractor workforce. This spotlight session features practical tools and approaches to strengthen contractor participation, improve installation quality, and build trust in new technologies. Speakers will share strategies such as recruitment of small‑businesses, and customer‑contractor matchmaking that help contractors thrive in efficiency programs.

Reducing friction in program delivery is essential for scaling upgrades. This session highlights how programs are using AI and well‑designed data‑sharing agreements to attract participants, streamline workflows, improve customer experience, and accelerate project timelines. Experts will share early results and lessons learned from integrating these tools into program operations.

Industrial energy efficiency and decarbonization requires tailored strategies and deep technical expertise. This session offers a close look at leading initiatives such as the Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) program - a nearly $400 million statewide industrial decarbonization grant program. We will dig in on program design, engagement strategies, and the operational realities of reducing industrial emissions. 

Immersive breakout workshops designed to spark thought leadership, deliver actionable knowledge, and foster meaningful industry connections. Attendees roll up their sleeves and engage in hands‑on exploration with guidance from seasoned experts.
 

Description to come.

Immersive breakout workshops designed to spark thought leadership, deliver actionable knowledge, and foster meaningful industry connections. Attendees roll up their sleeves and engage in hands‑on exploration with guidance from seasoned experts.

Efficiency and electrification projects often require complex capital stacks, and ratepayer funds can only go so far. In this hands‑on session, facilitators will guide participants through financing tools that bridge gaps, unlock project options, and support deeper upgrades, including energy as a service (EaaS) and off‑balance‑sheet financing models. Attendees will work through real‑world examples and discuss how financing can complement—not replace—traditional program funding. 

Immersive breakout workshops designed to spark thought leadership, deliver actionable knowledge, and foster meaningful industry connections. Attendees roll up their sleeves and engage in hands‑on exploration with guidance from seasoned experts.

As load growth accelerates and peaks shift, demand flexibility is becoming essential for managing system costs. This deep dive examines approaches such as electric thermal storage, behavioral demand response, and time‑of‑use rates, and explores how they can integrate with efficiency programs. Facilitators will lead a workshop‑style discussion on the strengths and limitations of each strategy and where they fit in a modern portfolio.

Immersive breakout workshops designed to spark thought leadership, deliver actionable knowledge, and foster meaningful industry connections. Attendees roll up their sleeves and engage in hands‑on exploration with guidance from seasoned experts.

Utilities are rethinking how they deliver customer affordability and grid value through a portfolio approach to demand-side resources. We can break down silos by integrating efficiency, demand flexibility, rate design, and digital tools as a portfolio of solutions. In this forward‑looking discussion, utility leaders will share what’s working, what challenges persist, and what the future holds for modern portfolios of demand-side resources. Panelists will also share how they are adapting their business models to better align with customer affordability and policy goals.