Detroit 2026: Where the Master Plan Meets the Microgrid

The American Planning Association’s National Planning Conference (NPC26) is coming to the Motor City. For the first time, a dedicated "intelligent infrastructure alley" will open a conversation between urban planners, government officials, IT, developers and power providers in the AI era.

When the American Planning Association (APA) descends on Detroit for its National Planning Conference (NPC26) in April, the 5,000 attendees won't just be learning about zoning codes transportation challenges, housing innovations, or sustainability initiatives. They will be confronting a new, urgent reality:

You can’t plan a city if you can’t power it.

Amid exploding electrification needs and a grid strained by AI data centers and EV fleets, ChargedUp! is debuting its second major industry pavilion at the event. The goal is to break the silos between the professionals that plan and build communities and the people who wire-up, power and manage them.

"Planners are being asked to solve the housing crisis, environmental issues, and other challenges all at once, and that only works if we get the power and connectivity side right-especially under the current constraints of increased demand,” said Keith Reynolds, publisher of ChargedUp!

Communities — and the buildings inside them — are starting to open with a power strategy baked in. For developers and asset managers staring at new load from EVs, heat pumps and data centers, the message is: there’s a lot to consider, but it is not rocket science. You already juggle zoning, financing and tenant mix; adding an energy plan is one more column in the spreadsheet, not a whole new career.

You do not need to design control systems or size batteries yourself. You do need to start asking a short list of practical questions early:

• Can this project help support the neighborhood’s power needs, not just pull from the grid?

• What incentives, grants or utility programs can we tap if we add solar and storage?

• How do we approach retrofits of older building stock vs. new builds?

• How do we make EV charging part of the base building infrastructure, not an afterthought in the far corner of the lot?

• Which loads really need backup, and for how long, if the grid goes down?

• Who are the right partners — utility, EPC, tech provider — to own and operate this, so we are not doing it alone?

As states move toward net-zero codes, new targeted tariff schemes, and stronger resilience rules, the owners who work through those questions now will have a smoother path — and better stories to tell tenants, voters and investors.

The early microgrid projects we are seeing are first examples of that future. From the street, they do not look like substations; they look like regular libraries, campuses and mixed-use buildings that just happen to be smarter about power.

"Planners and government officials need to learn about emerging technologies that can help power and connect communities efficiently," added Karen Vogel, NPC26 head of sales.

ChargedUp! Pavilion to Showcase an Emerging Market of Solutions

For exhibitors, NPC26 offers an opportunity to meet face-to-face with planners and government officials who make direct purchase decisions and heavily influence local, state and federal contracts regarding infrastructure planning and development of housing,

transportation, schools, offices, hospitals, airports, and more, as well as land use, utilities, environmental sustainability, community engagement, and other critical areas that address the immediate and future needs of communities.

The ChargedUp! program offers a rare direct line to the decision-makers who write the RFPs. Rather than pitching to other tech firms, solution providers can present finance-ready checklists and design standards directly to planning directors, public works leaders, and major campus developers.

Education is Key: What to Expect

It's not just about showing up at a booth and hoping to meet with the right attendees. Educating planners and government officials on the benefits of new solutions is key to help planners incorporate requirements into future plans. That's why ChargedUp! will promote all of the participants in the pavilion before NPC26, and will lead a panel of world-class speakers from industry giants like Eaton and NextEra, and other innovators, alongside urban innovators already deploying these technologies at the Technology Theater on the show floor.

Key sessions and "playbooks" will cover topics such as:

• Tariff-Optimized EV Deployment: Strategies for multifamily, main-street, and fleet sites that align charging loads with local utility rate structures.

• Resilient Microgrids: Blueprints for disaster-prone districts and critical facilities that simply cannot afford to go dark.

• AI-Orchestrated Energy: How data and automation can help cities stretch limited grid capacity in mixed-use sites, effectively hiking Net Operating Income (NOI) by 10–15% through space-efficient design.

• EV Charging: Determining the right balance. Separating fact from fiction.

  
  

Why This Matters Now

Electrification is no longer just a green amenities box to check; it is a structural determinant of economic success. Housing approvals now hinge on grid capacity; industrial recruitment depends on reliable power for automation and AI; and equity demands that low-income communities are protected from huge rate hikes.

By convening all stakeholders in Detroit, this will allow for open conversations and negotiations on the hard trade-offs: Who pays for the substation upgrade? How can we design solar canopies that enhance, rather than ruin, walkability? How can we build data centers without opposition?

Reynolds summs it up, “The ChargedUp! Pavilion brings the people who plan and develop the zoning and regulations for communities across the country together with the companies that offer leading edge electrification and connectivity solutions, so communities don’t have to choose between resilience, sustainability, and equity, versus new development and economic growth.”

Join the Movement

As communities grapple with the question, "How do we electrify now and into the future?", the ChargedUp! Pavilion offers a national stage so companies can help communities to solve the challenges and scale for the future.

Booth spaces in the ChargedUp! Pavilion and sponsorship and speaking options are limited and filling fast. Visit the NPC26 website to learn more about exhibit and sponsor opportunities, and then contact ChargedUp! (this should link to your contact form) to secure your participation in the Pavilion, so you can grow your business!