Energy Systems Laboratory

The Texas Energy Summit, formerly the Clean Air Through Energy Efficiency (CATEE) Conference, is a project of the Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL), a division of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), a unit of The Texas A&M University System.

The ESL is a division of TEES affiliated with the Energy Systems Group in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Architecture at Texas A&M. The ESL mission is to enable and promote substantial, sustainable energy savings in the built environment using innovative, cost effective and affordable energy technologies and systems. ESL conducts research, provides energy code technical assistance to state and local governments and the building industry, develops code compliance calculators and calculates emissions reduction benefits from energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives, develops energy-modeling systems, provides research engineering services to real-world projects, and disseminates relevant information and education to public audiences of interest through training and conferences.

Texas took a leading role on air quality with legislation in 2001 (SB 5, 77th TX Leg.), creating building sector energy efficiency initiatives to reduce emissions. These included adopting energy codes, encouraging above-code building performance, and requiring state agencies and political subdivisions to set cost-effective examples by reducing consumption each year. These initiatives have been continued and expanded by subsequent Legislatures, with additions and changes in almost every session.

The ESL provides technical support for several of these initiatives and calculates their emissions benefits. ESL was recognized in 2004 by the US Environmental Protection Agency as a National Center of Excellence for Displaced Emissions Reduction Calculations. ESL is active with national standards setting organizations, and directly involved in research support of federal, state and local government policy development and facility operations.

TEES is the engineering research agency of the State of Texas. For nearly 100 years, TEES has served the citizens of Texas through engineering and technology-oriented research and educational collaborations. Our research has had significant impact on the health, safety and quality of life of Texas citizens and has contributed to the state’s economic growth and development.