DoE: $10 Million for Efficiency Projects for Commercial Buildings

The Energy Department has announced a $10 million funding opportunity to help demonstrate and deploy energy efficiency technologies for commercial buildings.

The initiative focuses on projects that will bring next generation building systems and components to a broader market faster – helping to save building owners and businesses energy.

Currently, commercial buildings consume more than 18 quadrillion British thermal units, or quads, of primary energy annually, or about 18 percent of all the energy used in the nation in 2012. If building owners adopt these cost-effective technologies, the annual energy consumption of commercial and industrial buildings could be reduced by 6 quads.

This funding opportunity supports the demonstration and deployment of technologies to reduce energy use and carbon emissions in commercial buildings: sub-metering; plug load strategies; open refrigerated display case retrofits; daylighting; shading; advanced compressor rack and refrigerant systems; and retro-commissioning strategies and technologies. The funding will support the testing and validation of technology performance in real buildings, as well as the creation of materials to help building owners, designers, service providers, and energy efficiency program managers to gain a broader understanding of these energy-saving solutions.

The Energy Department is seeking proposals from industry, regional organizations, non-profits, utilities, and similar organizations. Applicant teams should develop a plan to demonstrate and deploy selected technologies at regional or national scale, the Department says.

The Department also released a new video (pictured) in its Energy 101 series highlighting how commercial buildings can incorporate whole-building design and innovative technologies to improve energy performance. These proven strategies, including daylighting, shading, and plug and process loads, support the Administration’s Better Buildings Initiative, which is aimed at making commercial buildings 20 percent more efficient by 2020.

Earlier this week, President Obama released his fiscal year 2015 budget proposal, which would provide $27.9 billion in funds for the Department of Energy. This budget request represents a 2.6 percent increase above the FY 2014 enacted level. The budget proposal directs the DOE to advance the administration’s “all-of-the-above” energy strategy by investing $4.2 billion of its funds in applied energy programs to drive energy sector innovation.