Blog - Smart Buildings Center

SBX 2026 Sponsorship Opportunities

April 1, 2026 By SBC staff

Sponsorship Opportunities for Smart Buildings Exchange (SBX) 2026 are now available! Please view our 2026 Sponsor Prospectus for full details on sponsorship levels and benefits.

SBX 2026 focuses on a defining challenge for our industry: how to capitalize on innovation and accelerate smart buildings adoption in a rapidly changing environment. In a world of rising costs, AI, evolving expectations, connected building systems, and growing building and cybersecurity concerns, the need for smarter, more resilient, and more scalable solutions has never been clearer. SBX 2026 will bring together leaders from across the built environment to examine what is driving progress, what is holding it back, and what it will take to move from promising innovation to widespread implementation.

The 2026 conference theme, “Accelerating Performance at the Speed of Innovation,” reflects both the urgency of the moment and the opportunity in front of us. As technologies advance and pressures on the built environment intensify, buildings are being asked to do more: reduce costs, improve resilience, respond to grid needs, support occupant outcomes, and deliver stronger performance in an increasingly complex operating environment. SBX 2026 will create space not just for inspiration, but for debate, problem-solving, and clearer pathways to action.

For more information, please see the 2026 Sponsor Prospectus and contact [email protected] with any questions or to become a sponsor.

OBEP Fellowship Case Studies Series, McMinnville Community Center

March 30, 2026 By SBC staff

Over the next 3 weeks we’ll be sharing 3 case studies from our OBEP Fellow detailing buildings around McMinnville, OR starting today with the Community Center!

What is OBEP?

The Oregon Building Energy and Performance project (OBEP) is a collaborative initiative led by the Smart Buildings Center, Strategic Energy Innovations, San Timoteo Energy Associates, in coordination with the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE). This partnership supports under-resourced building owners in meeting the requirements of Oregon’s Building Performance Standards (OR BPS). As part of the initiative, the OBEP Fellow receives training in areas such as the Green Building Practicum, Building Operator Certification, and Oregon BPS compliance.

View or download the first case study here as a .pdf

Are you interested in the services provided by the OBEP Fellowship? Fill out the interest form here.

Celebrating the First Cohort of BEACON Fellows

March 26, 2026 By SBC staff

The Smart Buildings Center is a proud partner of the BEACON project and is celebrating the successes of the first cohort, we’re happy to join with Commerce in celebrating this historic moment.

On Friday, March 13, BEACON fellows, Climate Corps fellows, and BEACON and Climate Corps partners gathered in Bellevue to celebrate the end of the first cohort of BEACON fellows. Thank you to PSE for hosting this incredible group.

BEACON fellows presented on the highlights, successes, and lessons learned from their 10-month fellowships. They reflected on the technical support they provided to building owners, the sustainability projects they supported at their host sites, the relationships they built with utility providers, and the presentations they gave to local community groups.

Over the past 10 months, BEACON fellows conducted outreach to almost 200 unique entities and served 130 building owners and more than 400 buildings across 17 counties. Services included providing CBPS education, Clean Buildings Portal support, energy benchmarking services, energy management planning, operations and maintenance program support, and exemption and incentive application assistance.

BEACON fellows officially end their fellowships on March 31. With this date just on the horizon, project partners also shared words of encouragement for what’s next as fellows start their own job search.

As a reminder, BEACON Project partners are currently working to secure funding to stand up a second cohort of BEACON fellows, and there will be a gap in services between the first and second cohort. An announcement will be made when no-cost BEACON support resumes with a second cohort of fellows.

Meantime, you can receive ongoing no-cost CBPS support through the Commerce Clean Buildings Team and Smart Buildings Center Clean Buildings Help Desk.

Facilities Expos in April!

March 25, 2026 By SBC staff

APRIL 8-9, 2026 | Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim CA

APRIL 29-30, 2026 | Oregon Convention Center, Portland OR
Swing by the BOC booth at the Oregon Expo!!

What is the Facilities Expo?

The Facilities Expo is a premier destination for facility managers, maintenance managers, and energy managers seeking innovative solutions, industry insights, and networking opportunities to optimize facility operations, enhance sustainability, and drive business success. As the leading regional event in the facilities management industry, the Facilities Expo offers a comprehensive platform for professionals to discover the latest trends, connect with industry experts, and access cutting-edge products and services that empower them to excel in their roles and achieve their organizational goals.

Register Now!

CalFlexHub 2026, April 15

March 23, 2026 By SBC staff

Register today! The CalFlexHub Final Symposium, to be held April 15 at 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. PT, will highlight information on the latest research and developments in load flexibility and showcase CalFlexHub’s portfolio of projects. Featured speakers include the California Energy Commission, utility specialists and industry innovators advancing price-responsive load flexible technologies.

This year’s symposium returns as a hybrid event with the option to attend in-person or remotely. If you are interested in joining us in person, please register by March 31. Please note, while we’ve previously offered free attendance, there is a fee associated for in-person attendance this year.

Register Here

Choose your attendance type: Register for either virtual or in-person attendance at the link above
Complete payment and access (In-Person Only): If joining us in person, visit this Berkeley Lab website to submit your payment and complete site access information required to enter the Berkeley Lab campus.
Check your inbox: In-person attendees will receive a confirmation email with additional details from [email protected].

Since its launch in 2021, CalFlexHub has been at the forefront of assessing research pathways, developing metrics, and accelerating the commercial adoption of load flexible technologies. This final symposium aims to showcase the program’s achievements, offer updates on CalFlexHub’s portfolio of demonstration projects; foster discussions on the latest pilots, research, and technological developments in load flexibility; and facilitate knowledge sharing from sector leaders. The symposium focuses on solution-centered conversations designed to address the various barriers to scaled adoption, emphasizing advancing these technologies and supporting ecosystems for all Californians. Preview the agenda below and learn more at the event page here.

Registration Open for Smart Buildings Exchange (SBX) 2026!

March 17, 2026 By SBC staff

Early-bird registration for SBX 2026 is now open at www.sbxconference.org

Register now!

The Smart Buildings Center is excited to host the 6^th annual Smart Buildings Exchange (SBX) in 2026! SBX 2026 includes a year-round virtual series, SBX Plus, offering engaging, expert-led live webinars, and an in-person Fall Conference (November 9-10 in Seattle) featuring workshops, keynotes, panel discussions, and networking. Learn more below and register for both SBX Plus & the Fall Conference now and save!

Building Potential members can receive a 15% discount on SBX registration. Please contact [email protected] to receive a discount code before registering.

SBX Plus (Virtual)
Please join us for our next SBX Plus virtual session on Artificial Intelligence, Fault Detection & Diagnostics for Predictive Maintenance on Wednesday, March 18^th from 11am-12pm PST. Hear three case study examples about how AI-driven fault detection and diagnostics has transformed building operations from reactive to predictive. Learn about how advanced analytics can identify equipment issues early, reduce downtime, and lower maintenance and energy costs. Register at the link below to attend!

Fall Conference (In-Person)
This year’s Fall Conference theme – Accelerating Performance at the Speed of Innovation – will respond to the call to action heard at SBX 2025 to accelerate the pace of change needed to drive the clean energy market transformation. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more details on sponsorships opportunities, agenda details, and an open call to submit topics and speakers for consideration. Register at the link below to join us for SBX Plus and the SBX Fall Conference!

Early-bird SBX 2026 registration

What is OBEP?

What is the Facilities Expo?

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