DOE Announces $38.8 Million for Technology R&D to Decarbonize Buildings

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced selections for $38.8 million in funding for 25 projects across 17 states to research and develop high impact building technologies and practices aimed at decarbonizing, reducing peak demand on the electric grid, enhancing resilience, and lowering energy costs.

Advancements made with this funding from the Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) opportunity support applied research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities for high-priority building technologies, including next-generation retrofits for building envelope, lighting, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). The funding will also support technologies that enhance the resilience of buildings during extreme weather events and allow them to function as assets to the electrical grid.

"These innovative new projects will provide us with essential tools for equitable and affordable decarbonization of U.S. homes and businesses. Novel technologies will bring deep cost savings as well as increased resilience, comfort, and performance, propelling us toward a new generation of building energy technologies," said Jeff Marootian, principal deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "The BENEFIT 2024 projects will accelerate our progress toward DOE's building decarbonization blueprint goal of reducing 65% of building emissions by 2035 and 90% of building emissions by 2050."

BTO has issued the BENEFIT funding opportunity on a regular basis since 2014. BENEFIT project applications are meticulously evaluated by topic-area experts. They are selected based on technical merit, market transformation plans, strength of team resources, and the extent to which they impact relevant communities in an equitable fashion, especially low- and moderate-income households. These selection criteria ensure that projects from BENEFIT 2024 lead the way toward meeting ambitious DOE goals such as reducing the upfront cost of upgrading a home by at least 50% while reducing energy bills by 20% within a decade, as laid out in the Affordable Home Energy Shot, and doubling the energy efficiency of buildings by 2050, as described in the buildings decarbonization blueprint. They also support DOE efforts to accelerate adoption of cold-climate heat pumps and increase the use of refrigerants that are affordable and have ultra-low global warming potential.

The 25 projects selected for the 2024 BENEFIT funding opportunity support deep decarbonization of the U.S. building stock through innovations across four topic areas. These projects will equitably benefit building owners and occupants across all building types, sectors, and geographies. In addition to helping meet decarbonization goals, the products and practices developed through BENEFIT funding opportunities are integral to are saving consumers money on their energy bills and building technology purchases. Here are some of the latest additions to the BENEFIT project cohort at BTO: 

• GTI Energy (Des Plaines, Illinois) – "High Efficiency, Oil Free Compressor/Expander for CO₂ Heat Pumps." GTI Energy is designing and developing a novel oil-free carbon dioxide (CO₂) compressor/expander. The success of the project can significantly advance CO₂ heat pump technology and in turn, improve market adoption of natural refrigerant equipment. (Award amount: $2 million)
• Effecterra, Inc. (Reno, Nevada) – "CO₂ Heat Pump POC Development." Effecterra will build a working proof-of-concept 25-ton commercial roof top unit (RTU) heat pump that uses a CO₂ refrigerant. This demonstration highlights the market application potential for CO₂ refrigerants with ultra-low global warming potential in RTU heat pumps, which can exceed the performance operation of the current best-in-class commercially available equipment. (Award amount: $1.2 million)
• Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (Champaign, Illinois) – "COBotics for Attic Technical Testing and Infiltration Control (COBATTIC)." The Champaign County Regional Planning Commission in partnership with GTI Energy, Hearth Labs, FLX Solutions, and the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County will develop, evaluate, and train a collaborative robotic (cobotic) and artificial intelligence-enhanced thermal diagnostic system to identify moisture damage and air leakage locations in attic spaces. (Award amount: $1.5 million)
• Stepwise Electric, Inc. (Buffalo, New York) – "Low Wires and Modular Electric Service Upgrade." Stepwise Electric will extend its product line for electric vehicle charging to heat pumps and heat pump water heaters. Their product is a modular electrical component that installs between the electrical panel and the end use while monitoring whole-building power draw to ensure coincident electrical loads do not exceed the service capacity of the building. (Award amount: $1.4 million)

Visit the BTO website for a complete listing of the 25 new BENEFIT projects. For more information on DOE's activities that support building technology innovation, visit BTO's Emerging Technologies program.

Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time.