Did you miss any of our new webinars this spring? Great news: You can still access these cutting-edge insights on demand at the new Learning Center at www.TradeAllyCenter.com. Watch the webinars whenever it works best with your schedule. Stay current on new technology and earn free Building Performance Institute (BPI) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) at your convenience.
July 29, 2026:
Gas Heat Pumps – What You Need to Know
We will discuss gas heat pump applications, how best to lower energy costs and available prescriptive rebates on related projects.
Aug. 26, 2026:
Super Size Me?
Oversized HVAC systems are costing you more than you think. Join us to learn why right-sizing matters — and how to do it right — with expert insights from Ryan Hoge.
Visit Trade Ally Learning Center to register.
We’d love your feedback on how we can better support our clean energy employers. Take this quick 3-minute survey so we can continue improving.
Through its partnership with the Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency Program, Cook County’s John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital restored a previously unused condensing economizer serving its central boiler plant. This heat recovery project, supported by engineering analysis and implementation from Kinergetics, LLC, recommissioned existing equipment serving six 1,000 HP boilers. It is now delivering verified annual savings of more than 145,000 therms.
fiThe project is Phase 1 of a three-phase implementation plan developed from multiple gas optimization studies completed at the hospital. In addition to reducing natural gas use, the project is expected to save approximately $93,000 per year in energy costs and reduce carbon emissions by roughly 1.7 million pounds annually.
The Carbon League Illinois Workforce Development Task Force is seeking input from Illinois clean energy employers to better understand hiring needs, workforce gaps and opportunities to strengthen the talent pipeline. The goal is to better align Illinois workforce efforts with employer needs and create a resource hub for employers to obtain support in the existing Illinois workforce ecosystem.
The demand for skilled technicians continues to outpace supply. In fact, the U.S. needs about 40,100 new heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) technicians each year to keep up with growth and retirements.1
To help you stay ahead, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas have launched a new initiative to support your hiring efforts.
Beginning this quarter, all registered Trade Allies are automatically enrolled in our no-cost job sourcing and management service, designed to connect you with qualified local talent. With this service, you can:
- Post open roles on our clean energy resource board.
- Receive screened candidates with matching skills sent to your careers page or hiring manager.
- Receive periodic summaries of candidate matches and applications for your job postings.
- Receive emails from our team when we identify prospective candidates for your open positions.
To learn more about this no-cost service or to request additional support, please visit our website.
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Our next graduation ceremony will celebrate five businesses that completed the Business Academy and have applied for their diversity certifications. The event will be held at the Peoples Energy Training Center. Graduates will receive a plaque to honor their achievements and a tour of Gas City, where they will learn about the cutting-edge work Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas are doing in the energy efficiency sector.
Check out the success stories of other recent graduates. If you are a diverse-owned business seeking to apply for certification, our Business Academy offers energy efficiency training and application assistance.
Business Academy News: Collaboration With IHCC Will Expand Academy’s Reach
The Business Academy is partnering with the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) to host an upcoming webinar that will introduce the program to IHCC members. Through its APEX Accelerator, IHCC has already provided valuable technical support to participants as they navigate the diversity certification process. This collaboration will help expand the Business Academy’s reach and connect more businesses with these resources. Stay tuned for more details on the webinar!
Contact Us
Glenn Maxam, Business
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Kenneth Hill, Residential
(Weatherization)
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Andy Gorecki,
Multi-Family
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Cristina Lopez, Residential (HVAC/Water Heating)
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These programs are funded by Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas customers in compliance with state law.
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