by Shane Henson — August 26, 2013—As part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) continued efforts to assist building owners and operators across the country in reducing energy costs, the agency has announced that it is funding 12 projects to develop innovative heating, cooling, and insulation technologies as well as open-source energy efficiency software . According to the DOE, these projects will receive approximately $11 million, matched by about $1 million in private sector funding.
According to the DOE, $6 million will be allocated to nine projects that will develop new energy-efficient building technologies, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and building insulation. The projects will also help curb emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)—potent greenhouse gases primarily used in refrigeration and air conditioning. In the United States, emissions of HFCs are expected to nearly triple by 2030, and double from current levels of 1.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions to 3 percent by 2020, says the DOE.
One of these projects involves the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (given a $750,000 DOE investment). The project will develop affordable insulation plastic film for large windows. The transparent film easily fits on top of the window glass and uses a material familiar to the construction industry, helping to reduce manufacturing and supply chain costs, the DOE explains.
The remaining $5 million will go to three projects—led by the University of California, Virginia Tech, and Carnegie Mellon University—to develop open source software that helps building owners and operators measure, monitor, and adjust lighting, HVAC, and water-heating energy use to save energy without compromising performance.
According to a study by the DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), commercial building owners could save an average 38 percent on heating and cooling bills by installing energy control systems.
