The Federal Energy Management Program's seasonal trainings build necessary skills for energy and water management best practices.
Federal Energy Management Program
July 16, 2026
Estimated Read Time min
The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) hosted its Winter Workshop series the week of March 16, 2026. Federal agency representatives, technical experts, and industry partners convened for these virtual trainings focused on energy and water management across the federal portfolio. Throughout 15 sessions, the series provided practical guidance, encouraged sharing experiences, and highlighted implementation pathways to support agencies in meeting mission requirements while improving efficiency and reliability and lowering costs.
More than 1,000 participants attended the series throughout the week. Approximately half the attendees were federal staff, representing 31 federal agencies, with additional participation from private-sector partners and technical organizations.
“We’re seeing strong engagement because the need is real,” said Creshona Armwood, FEMP’s interagency coordination supervisor. “Agency teams are balancing competing priorities with day-to-day operations, often in new or expanded roles, and they’re looking for guidance that supports them in doing that work effectively.”
The Winter Workshop series is part of FEMP’s broader workforce development efforts, which provide accredited training, structured learning opportunities, and government-wide gatherings. By centralizing training resources and aligning content with statutory requirements, FEMP helps agencies build the capability to plan, finance, implement, and maintain cost-effective energy and water solutions across their portfolios.
Turning Requirements into Results
Across sessions, the focus remained grounded in project execution, with presenters covering a variety of topics relevant to federal energy and water management. Foundational sessions on energy audits, operations and maintenance, fleet management, and federal acquisition provided trusted approaches supported by FEMP tools and resources. In addition, sessions on performance contracting, advanced nuclear energy, data center modernization, cybersecurity, and other emerging technologies offered strategies to navigate more sophisticated projects and evolving infrastructure needs.
Some discussions explored how to build defensible business cases, align projects with mission priorities, and fill financing gaps using established contracting methods. Others focused on improving reliability and managing risk with approaches such as demand flexibility, on-site energy optimization, and infrastructure planning.
Participants learned from both subject matter experts and peers. This knowledge exchange helped agency staff identify strategies to adapt and apply within their own operations.
“A big part of what makes these workshops meaningful is the opportunity to learn from each other,” Armwood said. “Agencies are working through similar challenges, and creating space to share what’s working moves everyone forward a little faster.”
Driving Collaboration Forward
The Winter Workshop series was made possible through collaboration across FEMP and its National Laboratory partners, including Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the National Laboratory of the Rockies, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The collective effort combined technical expertise with program delivery to ensure the training content was both rigorous and accessible.
The work continues beyond the live sessions. Material from the workshops, including recordings, transcripts, and presentation materials, is being organized for continued use, with select sessions transitioning into on-demand trainings. This extends access to the content and allows agencies to incorporate it into ongoing workforce development and project planning efforts.
The Winter Workshop’s strong participation reflects a clear appetite for training aligned with federal responsibilities and operational realities. By providing guidance, tools, and opportunities to learn from peers, FEMP continues to help agencies move their projects forward while improving performance, managing costs, and maintaining reliable, mission-critical infrastructure.
“At the end of the day, this is about helping agencies deliver results,” Armwood said. “When teams have access to the right training and support, they’re better equipped to create lasting improvements across their facilities.”
Explore FEMP’s available trainings in the FEMP training catalog, and join the FEMP mailing list to stay informed about upcoming opportunities.