Energy Crossroads

Join us for a conversation with John Day about how energy efficiency, smart facility design, and operational innovation are helping Kids’ Meals expand its mission and serve more children across the Houston region.

We welcome Adam Muller, Program Lead at the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) for a conversation role on the critical role of energy efficiency, innovation, and infrastructure in Texas. In this episode, Adam shares insights on how Texas is balancing reliability, economic growth, and sustainability in a rapidly changing energy landscape.

Join us for a discussion with Elizabeth Carlson about how corporate sustainability strategies are evolving beyond reporting toward operational impact, and how Houston’s World Cup sustainability efforts are leveraging energy efficiency, mobility, waste reduction, and long-term community resilience to share a more sustainable future for the region. 

We sat down with Geoff Garber of global tax services company, Ryan LLC, who works at the intersection of finance, energy strategy, incentives, and project delivery for this episode of Energy Crossroads . Geoff tells us where projects tend to get stuck, how organizations are thinking about reliability and sustainability, and why technologies like solar plus storage and geothermal are gaining renewe...

 In this episode, we sit down with Stephen Ward, Program Manager at the Southface Institute to explore his fascinating pivot from performing arts stage to building infrastructure. We dive into the Building Improvement Toolkit (BIT), discuss the facilities workforce, and highlight the exciting work happening in Houston at Texas Southern University. Join us as we reframe energy efficiency not just a...

In this episode of Energy Crossroads, Shaun Auckland, Senior Manager, Government and Community Engagement at SPEER shares insights on bridging the gap between lofty energy efficiency goals and real-world implementation. From local governments to community leaders, we explore how important it is for organizations and individuals to understand resources and take actionable steps - you don’t need a h...

In this episode of Energy Crossroads, we’re joined by Dr. Matthew Berg, CEO and Principal Scientist of Simfero Consultants, to explore the role of One Water in Texas’ evolving energy landscape. We discuss how integrated water planning can improve resilience across power generation, industry, and rapidly growing infrastructure like data centers. Dr. Berg shares where Texas is making progress, where...

In this episode we explore the rapidly evolving energy innovation landscape and examine the frameworks shaping the oil and gas industry’s role in the shift with Gavin Dillingham, PhD. We discuss how existing infrastructure, and decades of subsurface knowledge to accelerate breakthroughs in geothermal energy. From turning wells into heat engines to scaling solutions at industry speed, this conversa...

Texas is emerging as a major hub for data center development, but that growth comes with significant energy and water implications. In this episode of  Energy Crossroads,  Dr. Margaret Cook, VP of HARC joins us to explore what’s driving the data center boom and the projected electricity and water demands and implications for local communities across the Lone Star State. The conversation delves int...

In this episode of   Energy Crossroads   we are joined by Scott McCready, PLA, a Principal at SWA Group, a long-standing, employee-owned collective of eight independent design studios. Scott’s work is dedicated to the enhancement the social and ecological infrastructure of the urban environment, while broadening access and connectivity to open space within the city. His recent work has focused on...

In this episode of   Energy Crossroads   we are joined by Rod Turner, Facilities Manager for Houston Endowment. Responsible for overseeing the daily performance of the Houston Endowment’s headquarters facility, Rod is not just thinking about building operations, maintenance, safety, and upkeep – he is focused on people, resilience, legacy, and the systems that hold it all together. A  veteran of b...

In this episode of   Energy Crossroads   we are joined by Nicole Alderete-Ferrini, CEO of Parade on Main, a next-generation strategy, advocacy and policy firm reimagining how public institutions build smarter, more resilient communities. As the first Chief Resilience Officer for the City of El Paso and a former city executive, she brings two decades of experience in sustainable development, crisis...

In this episode of   Energy Crossroads   we are joined by Patrice ‘Pete’ Parsons the Executive Director Texas Solar Energy Society (TXSES), where she is committed to fulfilling the organization's mission to educate and inspire every Texan to adopt solar energy as part of a clean energy future.  Listen as Pete discusses the benefits of solar, policy opportunities to increase solar adoption, and the...

In this episode of   Energy Crossroads   we are joined by Felisa Conner, President & CEO of Frazier Revitalization, an organization focused on addressing affordable housing renovation and development, family and youth programming, and resident empowerment. Listen as Felisa illustrates how energy efficiency can improve the quality life and help to create generational wealth, and we discuss how...

In this episode of   Energy Crossroads   we are joined by Dr. Adele Houghton, President of Biositu, LLC, where she works at the intersection of buildings, public health, and climate.  Healthcare facilities are critical infrastructure in our communities. During a disaster, it is important for all facets of the Emergency Management Cycle to operate at optimal levels. Listen as Dr. Houghton discusses...

Jonathan Kraatz, the Executive Director for the U.S. Green Building Council Texas Chapter, plays a crucial role in advancing sustainable building practices and promoting green initiatives across Texas with a focus on leadership and advocacy and industry engagement.       Listen as Jonathan discusses how green certifications are supporting efforts to build more resilient, sustainable buildings and...

In this episode of  Energy Crossroads , we are joined by Nisha Desai, the Founder & CEO of Intention, a startup company creating a climate impact investment platform for retail investors. Nisha is also the managing partner of the Intention Climate Fund, a microfund investing in pre-seed and seed stage climate tech startups across the US. Listen as Nisha discusses her career journey in the clea...

In this episode of Energy Crossroads, we are joined by Dr. Erick C. Jones Jr., an assistant professor in Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. Jones investigates how organizations can allocate their limited resources to maximize desired outcomes sustainably, efficiently, and resiliently Dr. Jones leads the Sustainable and Equitable Allocati...

Welcome to Energy Crossroads, where we talk Texas clean energy. We are on a mission to learn more about how clean energy impacts a wide variety of industries. We will explore conversations with industry leaders around clean energy trends and related technology, finance, the built environment, and policy opportunities impacting your organization. This podcast is powered by HARC, an independent, env...

In this episode of  Energy Crossroads , we are joined by Randy Plumlee, Energy Code Program Manager for the South-Central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource (SPEER), the newest regional energy efficiency organization which aims to accelerate the adoption of advanced building systems and energy efficient products and services in Texas and Oklahoma. He’s a native Texan but loves to trav...

Welcome to Energy Crossroads, where we talk Texas clean energy.  This podcast is powered by HARC, an independent research hub analysis on energy, air, and water issues to people seeking scientific answers, and is underwritten by the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), and our sponsor, the Mitchell Foundation.  This special episode of Energy Crossroads, is a crossover with the podcast, ESG Dec...

In this episode of Energy Crossroads , we are joined by Rives Taylor, FAIA, LEED Fellow, and Gensler’s Global Design Resilience Co-Leader & Principal. He is a recognized global expert in resilient, high-performance, and sustainable design and has been a faculty member of both Rice University and the University of Houston for 30 years. Rives has authored more than 150 articles for diverse publi...

In this episode of  Energy Crossroads , we are joined by Dr. Margaret Cook, Deputy Director – Climate Equity and Resilience for HARC. In this role, she develops and manages HARC’s Climate Equity Initiative and supports community engagement and community benefits priorities within HARC projects. Dr. Cook is also passionate about community resilience and making science accessible to the public. Prio...

In this episode of  Energy Crossroads , we are joined by John Hall, President & CEO at HARC. John has had a very distinguished career working in public, private and nonprofit sectors, including serving as Chairman of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. He also held a variety of clean energy and climate equity leadership roles at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Governmenta...

In this episode of  Energy Crossroads , we are joined by  Jane Stricker , Senior Vice President, Energy Transition & Executive Director, Houston Energy Transition Initiative, The Greater Houston Partnership.  Jane is responsible for leading the Partnership’s initiative to leverage Houston’s energy leadership to accelerate global solutions for a low-carbon future. Jane is also a contributing fa...