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Research Tracker

This tool is intended for researchers and program managers to quickly find research projects around the country that are relevant to their work. The four organizations who provided content for this purpose represent the largest energy efficient buildings research portfolios in the country. These organizations each provided the content that they were comfortable sharing publically. Therefore, upon clicking on a particular project, it is possible that certain pieces of content are not present. Where possible, a point of contact is provided so that specific questions can be directed to that person. We welcome your comments! If you would like to provide any feedback on this tool (positive or constructive) please email basc@pnnl.gov.

Showing results 1 - 50 of 60

A Renewable Based Direct Current Building Scale Microgrid

This renewable-based direct current (DC) microgrid will connect on-site generation with loads and provide a low cost, energy-efficient solution to save costs. Solar PV will be directly connected to energy-efficient DC lighting, DC energy storage systems, and ventilation on a 380 V DC bus to form a DC building microgrid. This microgrid system proposed for the Honda Distribution Center in Chino, California reduces the need for inverters for PV and rectification equipment in the loads, thus improving the overall utilization of solar energy by 7-10% as compared to conventional AC systems, while lowering component complexity and costs.

Advanced Plug Load Controls and Management in the Educational Environment

This project deploys APMD technology over a large sample size, at approximately 55,000 computer workstations at several Community Colleges, and focuses on integrating the technology with facility operations to ensure that they meet the needs of the sites and staff. Key features of the proposed project include outreach and individual education programs to California Community College Districts, evaluation of sites for participation in the project, purchase and installation of APMDs at approved sites, measurement and verification (M&V) activities both pre- and post-APMD implementation at the selected demonstration sites, and stakeholder satisfaction information from demonstration facilities staff and APMD end-users through interviews and surveys.

Automated Cloud-Based Continuously Optimizing Building Energy Management System

The Automated Cloud-based Continuously Optimizing Building Energy Management System (ACCO-BEMS) overcomes limitations of existing energy management systems by automating optimized control of building systems and devices. The technology overcomes limitations of existing energy management systems and eliminates the need for expensive reprogramming needed to implement optimization measures. As such, the technology can co-exist with existing systems in retrofit applications, or it can be implemented as a new installation.

Best-in-Class: Demonstrating Scalable Operational Efficiency through Optimized Controls Sequences and Plug-and-Play Solutions

This project optimizes and simplifies control upgrades to demonstrate energy savings while improving occupant comfort. This demonstration uses automated fault detection and diagnostics and continuous commissioning with the use of advanced measurement and verification procedures. The agreement includes recommendations for strategies, tools, and initiatives to address market barriers and promote large scale market adoption.

Bundle-Based Energy Efficiency Technology Solutions for California (BEETS for California)

This project demonstrates three innovative bundles of pre-commercial technologies. The technology bundles were strategically developed through a systems-level approach to address the most energy-intensive areas in commercial buildings. These include: (1) Chilled Water Plants: Optimized all-variable-speed chilled-water (CHW) plants utilizing alternative refrigerant chillers. (2) Office and Exterior Space LED fixtures with integrated advanced controls, advanced building management system (BMS), and plug load controls controllable for demand response (DR), and off-grid, exterior, LED lighting in the parking lot, and lastly (3) Advanced laboratory ventilation, fume hood exhaust, and direct current (DC) lighting systems.

Climate appropriate HVAC Systems for Commercial Buildings to Reduce Energy Use and Demand

This project will develop and demonstrate a Climate Appropriate Air Conditioning system for commercial buildings. The heart of this system is an intelligent HVAC controller that processes signals from building sensors and system feed-back to maximize system efficiency. This control system will manage two technologies to optimize building energy and peak demand reduction. Getting fresh air into commercial buildings is a code requirement. However, the ingress of hot air into a cooling system and vice versa presents an inefficiency problem. This project will evaluate heat-recovery ventilation (HRV) and indirect evaporative cooling (IEC) to decrease the temperature of the incoming air in the summer and increase it in the winter. Both technologies can be intelligently controlled by the building controller to reduce cooling and heating costs. This project will also research low global warming refrigerants for commercial buildings

Complete and Low Cost Retail Automated Transactive Energy System (RATES)

This project will develop and pilot-test a complete, low cost, and standards based Retail Automated Transactive Energy System (RATES), and behind the meter energy management solution, that minimizes the cost and complexity of customer participation in energy efficiency programs, while maximizing the potential of large numbers of small loads to improve system load factor, shave peaks, integrate renewable generation and otherwise provide low opportunity-cost resources to the grid.

Complete and Low Cost Retail Automated Transactive Energy System (RATES)

This project will develop and pilot-test a complete, low cost, and standards based Retail Automated Transactive Energy System (RATES), and behind the meter energy management solution, that minimizes the cost and complexity of customer participation in energy efficiency programs, while maximizing the potential of large numbers of small loads to improve system load factor, shave peaks, integrate renewable generation and otherwise provide low opportunity-cost resources to the grid.

Customer-centric Demand Management using Load Aggregation and Data Analytics

This project will demonstrate how a large number of small electric loads, each impacted by and tuned to individual customer preferences can provide load management for both utilities and the California Independent System Operator (California ISO). The recipient will work with an extensive spectrum of leading product providers covering all major distributed energy resources (DERs), such as Nest (thermostats), ThinkEco (plug loads), Honda, BMW (auto), EGuana (smart Inverter) and Ice Energy (Thermal Storage). A variety of price signals will be tested for Time-of-Use customers such as Critical Peak Pricing and Demand Rate. The project will use deep analytics to evaluate individual customer preferences for demand management using microdata from devices and aggregate the responses to meet grid needs at different distribution and transmission levels.

Developing Flexible, Networked Lighting Control Systems That Reliably Save Energy

The recipient will develop low-cost lighting components with open communication interfaces that allow seamless integration into whole-building control and automation systems. The project will target future California Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24), and establish methods by which the site-specific configuration and operation of networked lighting controls systems can be effectively addressed, and more easily implemented by the marketplace

Direct Current as an Integrating and Enabling Platform

This project will research DC and AC-DC hybrid systems in buildings and develop resource information, end-use templates, and building guidelines that could improve the ability to achieve zero net energy buildings. The feasibility, costs, benefits, market barriers, and customer and education needs will be assessed, including guidelines for residential and small commercial buildings.

Efficient and ZNE-Ready Plug Loads

This project will research and develop new technologies and strategies to eliminate or significantly reduce energy use in standby mode by redesigning the power supply for plug load devices. This research project will also develop and demonstrate strategies to remove plug load devices from grid AC power by redesigning these devices to use DC power from photovoltaic power sources.

Efficient and ZNE-Ready Plug Loads

This project will research and develop new technologies and strategies to eliminate or significantly reduce energy use in standby mode by redesigning the power supply for plug load devices. This research project will also develop and demonstrate strategies to remove plug load devices from grid AC power by redesigning these devices to use DC power from photovoltaic power sources.

Empowering Proactive Consumers to Participate in Demand Response Programs

This project will contain three elements to provide data for policymakers and businesses to explore this new market. First, this project will determine prosumer (proactive consumer) interest in a third-party demand response market by testing user acquisition via direct and non-direct engagement strategies. Second, experimentation with behavioral and automated users will allow analysis of user yield under a variety of conditions and extract a set of shadow curves that can inform how much energy load shifting can be expected under various price incentives. Finally, this project will create a novel solution for using residential telemetry to connect prosumers and their Internet of Things (IoT) devices to the market operators.

Empowering Proactive Consumers to Participate in Demand Response Programs

This project will contain three elements to provide data for policymakers and businesses to explore this new market. First, this project will determine prosumer (proactive consumer) interest in a third-party demand response market by testing user acquisition via direct and non-direct engagement strategies. Second, experimentation with behavioral and automated users will allow analysis of user yield under a variety of conditions and extract a set of shadow curves that can inform how much energy load shifting can be expected under various price incentives. Finally, this project will create a novel solution for using residential telemetry to connect prosumers and their Internet of Things (IoT) devices to the market operators.

Flexible Control Strategies for Plug Loads with Context-Aware Smart Power Outlets to Mitigate Electricity Waste and Support Demand Response

This project will develop integrated plug load control strategies appropriate for different spaces within multiple types of commercial buildings. The project will implement a flexible energy management system (FEMS) to demonstrate the integrated control strategies for plug loads at pilot sites, including installation of smart power outlets and integration of various plug load control strategies with building energy management and/or lighting control systems. The project is designed to demonstrate and measure the degree of effectiveness of the flexible control strategies developed for integrally managing operation of plug loads to achieve energy efficiency and demand reductions.

From the Laboratory to the California Marketplace: A New Generation of LED Lighting Solutions

This project will design and develop innovative LED lighting solutions for three key general illumination product categories. These solutions are a best-in-class medium, screw-base replacement lamp, linear tubular light emitting diode (TLED) replacement lamps and spectrally optimized, dedicated LED luminaires. Product design requirements will be based on consumer light quality and functional performance preferences determined through a series of unique laboratory-based consumer preference and product characterization studies

From the Laboratory to the California Marketplace: A New Generation of LED Lighting Solutions

This project will design and develop innovative LED lighting solutions for three key general illumination product categories. These solutions are a best-in-class medium, screw-base replacement lamp, linear tubular light emitting diode (TLED) replacement lamps and spectrally optimized, dedicated LED luminaires. Product design requirements will be based on consumer light quality and functional performance preferences determined through a series of unique laboratory-based consumer preference and product characterization studies

High-Performance Integrated Window and Facade Solutions for California Buildings

This project will develop, validate and quantify energy impacts of a new generation of high performance facade systems and provide the design and management toolkits that will enable the building industry to meet challenging energy performance goals leading to net zero buildings by 2030. Building envelope technologies can be integrated into a cost-effective system that reduces energy-use associated with HVAC and lighting while improving occupant comfort. Technology development activities include highly insulating (Hi-R) windows, energy recovery-based envelope ventilation systems, and dynamic daylight redirecting systems. Supporting tools, data, and design methods will also be developed to enable widespread, reliable, cost-effective deployment throughout California.

Integrated Heat and Moisture Calculation Tool for Building Envelopes

This agreement develops a new tool that integrates moisture and thermal analysis. By integrating these two properties the optimal strategies can be determined for improving envelope design for new construction and retrofit applications.This agreement provides building professionals with a user-friendly engineering software tool at no cost.

Integrated Whole-Building Zero Net Energy Retrofits for Small Commercial Offices

This project will develop and evaluate cost-effective packages of pre-commercial integrated energy efficiency measures and controls to achieve zero net energy (ZNE) performance for multi-story small commercial offices in San Francisco and Southern California. The packages will target a minimum of 50 percent energy savings when compared to standard building energy use. The packages of energy efficiency measures will be analyzed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's FLEXLAB, an advanced facility for testing whole-building integrated systems, to develop and validate solutions under varied climate and use conditions. The simulation models will be validated through results from FLEXLAB testing and a 3-story whole-building demonstration pilot located in San Francisco. Data on energy, occupant comfort, and occupant behavior will be analyzed and packaged into best practices to be replicated elsewhere in the State.

Integrated Whole-Building Zero Net Energy Retrofits for Small Commercial Offices

This project will develop and evaluate cost-effective packages of pre-commercial integrated energy efficiency measures and controls to achieve zero net energy (ZNE) performance for multi-story small commercial offices in San Francisco and Southern California. The packages will target a minimum of 50 percent energy savings when compared to standard building energy use. The packages of energy efficiency measures will be analyzed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's FLEXLAB, an advanced facility for testing whole-building integrated systems, to develop and validate solutions under varied climate and use conditions. The simulation models will be validated through results from FLEXLAB testing and a 3-story whole-building demonstration pilot located in San Francisco. Data on energy, occupant comfort, and occupant behavior will be analyzed and packaged into best practices to be replicated elsewhere in the State.

Integrating Smart Ceiling Fans and Communicating Thermostats to Provide Energy-Efficient Comfort

This project will develop an optimal system configuration for smart comfort controlled ceiling fans integrated with learning thermostats. This system will be tested and evaluated for energy performance and occupant acceptance in low income multi-family residential and small commercial buildings in disadvantaged communities in California. This research and development will advance the solution's technology readiness level and support market adoption acceleration.

Integrating Smart Ceiling Fans and Communicating Thermostats to Provide Energy-Efficient Comfort

This project will develop an optimal system configuration for smart comfort controlled ceiling fans integrated with learning thermostats. This system will be tested and evaluated for energy performance and occupant acceptance in low income multi-family residential and small commercial buildings in disadvantaged communities in California. This research and development will advance the solution's technology readiness level and support market adoption acceleration.

Leading in Los Angeles: Demonstrating Scalable Emerging Energy Efficient Technologies for Integrated Façade, Lighting and Plug Loads

The project team is demonstrating and validating new retrofit package solutions from laboratory pre-testing through field demonstrations in existing government-owned commercial buildings. The solution sets, dubbed "INTER", are comprised of shading products from Rollease Acmeda and lighting and plug load systems and integrated controls, including HVAC systems, from Enlighted. The technologies can be combined and customized to suit a variety of building types and spaces, resulting in an estimated whole building energy reduction of 20 to 32 percent. Beginning in the Los Angeles basin, the team is leveraging existing market connections to increase and accelerate market adoption of these retrofit solution sets to maximize the potential energy and carbon savings, first in the region and ultimately, throughout California.

Low Cost, Large Diameter, Shallow Ground Loops for Ground-Coupled Heat Pumps

This project will address the high cost of ground heat exchangers (GHEs) for water-to-water and water-to-air heat pumps to facilitate the application of efficient ground-coupled heat pumps in California. The project will focus on shallow (20-30 feet deep) and large diameter (2-3 feet diameter) ground heat exchanger designs using helical coil heat exchangers. The project team will develop models, validate them with field data from two existing sites, identify optimal designs, and develop modeling methods that can be adapted for use with Title 24 standards compliance tools. The project will also produce typical design specifications that will support future Title 24 eligibility criteria. A design guide will be developed for use by the industry as a training aid, and a position paper will be prepared for the Department of Water Resources' California Geothermal Heat Exchange Well (GHEW) Standards Stakeholder Advisory Group.

Low Cost, Large Diameter, Shallow Ground Loops for Ground-Coupled Heat Pumps

This project will address the high cost of ground heat exchangers (GHEs) for water-to-water and water-to-air heat pumps to facilitate the application of efficient ground-coupled heat pumps in California. The project will focus on shallow (20-30 feet deep) and large diameter (2-3 feet diameter) ground heat exchanger designs using helical coil heat exchangers. The project team will develop models, validate them with field data from two existing sites, identify optimal designs, and develop modeling methods that can be adapted for use with Title 24 standards compliance tools. The project will also produce typical design specifications that will support future Title 24 eligibility criteria. A design guide will be developed for use by the industry as a training aid, and a position paper will be prepared for the Department of Water Resources' California Geothermal Heat Exchange Well (GHEW) Standards Stakeholder Advisory Group.

MarketZero: Taking an existing grocery store to scalable near-ZNE

This project will demonstrate a cost-effective pathway to achieving maximum energy efficiency in a grocery store. The project will identify and install a comprehensive costeffective energy efficiency upgrade package that utilizes innovative strategies such as advanced heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, refrigerants, fans, air curtains, phase change materials, occupancy sensing measures and advanced lighting and controls. The project will also provide new design approaches that allow for rapid technology discovery and incorporation to ensure the most current technologies are implemented into the design.

MarketZero: Taking an existing grocery store to scalable near-ZNE

This project will demonstrate a cost-effective pathway to achieving maximum energy efficiency in a grocery store. The project will identify and install a comprehensive costeffective energy efficiency upgrade package that utilizes innovative strategies such as advanced heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, refrigerants, fans, air curtains, phase change materials, occupancy sensing measures and advanced lighting and controls. The project will also provide new design approaches that allow for rapid technology discovery and incorporation to ensure the most current technologies are implemented into the design.

Measurement and Control of Ventilation Rates in Commercial Buildings in California

This project uses modeling to analyze peak energy demand, and indoor air quality advantages of controlled minimum ventilation rates (VR); evaluates multiple technologies applicable to real-time measurement and control of ventilation rates; and uses the results to develop occupancy specific guidelines for using carbon dioxide (CO2) in demand controlled ventilation systems and for measurement of ventilation rates.

Meeting Customer and Supply-side Market Needs with Electrical and Thermal Storage, Solar, Energy Efficiency and Integrated Load Management Systems

This project will develop co-optimization strategies for distributed energy resources (DERs) to maximize customer and system value under existing CPUC-approved retail and California Independent System Operator (California ISO) wholesale tariff structures, future market structures and pricing, and the transactive energy pricing signals developed under agreement EPC-15-054. The project will test and configure two DER portfolios: a) one consisting of large retail customers and schools using battery energy storage, solar photovoltaics, and integrated load management, and b) the other consisting of hotels using passive thermal energy storage and energy efficiency. Both will be coupled with integrated load management, to respond to price signals as well as develop operational strategies that provide best practices for wholesale integration subject to the identified retail and wholesale tariffs and operational constraints.

Mobile Efficiency for Plug Load Devices

The goal of the project is to reduce the energy consumption of residential and commercial plug load devices, such as set-top boxes, TVs, computers and game consoles. The project will leverage mobile design practices, hardware components and energy management software kernels, and prove their effectiveness on virtual prototypes and reference designs of targeted plug load devices. Based on these findings, the recipient will develop, tune and deploy the design methodology guidelines for energy efficient plug load designs to the manufacturers of plug load devices and their hardware, software and tools suppliers. The recipient will also define and introduce a widely accepted industry standard through the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) to support the newly developed unified design methodology and secure its long-term adoption and further evolution.

Optimization of Energy Efficiency to Achieve Zero-Net Energy in Multifamily and Commercial Buildings

The recipient will use EnergyPlus, a building energy modeling tool, to analyze the costeffectiveness of various electricity saving/generation measures for multifamily and commercial buildings in California. For each building type and climate zone, the results will include a cost-benefit analysis for each measure individually and for an optimized package of measures that reduces net electricity consumption to achieve as close to zero net energy as is cost-effectively possible.

Optimization of Energy Efficiency to Achieve Zero-Net Energy in Multifamily and Commercial Buildings

The recipient will use EnergyPlus, a building energy modeling tool, to analyze the costeffectiveness of various electricity saving/generation measures for multifamily and commercial buildings in California. For each building type and climate zone, the results will include a cost-benefit analysis for each measure individually and for an optimized package of measures that reduces net electricity consumption to achieve as close to zero net energy as is cost-effectively possible.

Optimizing Radiant Systems for Energy Efficiency and Comfort

This project will develop new practical design and operation tools for radiant cooling and heating systems in order to provide a standardized guidance for radiant systems. The approach will include a combination of fundamental full-scale laboratory experiments, whole-building simulations, development of simplified models for radiant system controls, validation of these new methods in field studies, occupant satisfaction surveys, and an update to Title-24 for radiant systems. The project outcomes will include 1) a simplified tool for calculating the cooling load and cooling capacity of a radiant slab system, including calculation methods with significant direct solar radiation, 2) a simplified online operational tool for radiant slab systems, and 3) updates to the Title 24 Alternative Calculation Method Reference Manual to enable improved modeling capabilities of radiant systems.

Optimizing Radiant Systems for Energy Efficiency and Comfort

This project will develop new practical design and operation tools for radiant cooling and heating systems in order to provide a standardized guidance for radiant systems. The approach will include a combination of fundamental full-scale laboratory experiments, whole-building simulations, development of simplified models for radiant system controls, validation of these new methods in field studies, occupant satisfaction surveys, and an update to Title-24 for radiant systems. The project outcomes will include 1) a simplified tool for calculating the cooling load and cooling capacity of a radiant slab system, including calculation methods with significant direct solar radiation, 2) a simplified online operational tool for radiant slab systems, and 3) updates to the Title 24 Alternative Calculation Method Reference Manual to enable improved modeling capabilities of radiant systems.

Pilot-Scale Evaluation of an Integrated Building Control Retrofit Package

This project will test an Integrated Building Control Package that maximizes energy efficiency for existing commercial buildings. The project will refine novel control algorithms that utilize shared device state and environmental data for lighting, fenestration and heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Sharing and considering data from multiple device types will further improve overall, sustained, system performance and operation. Control algorithms will prioritize lighting or heating/cooling savings based on climate and building design. HVAC system management will leverage passive ventilatio

Pilot-Scale Evaluation of an Integrated Building Control Retrofit Package

This project will test an Integrated Building Control Package that maximizes energy efficiency for existing commercial buildings. The project will refine novel control algorithms that utilize shared device state and environmental data for lighting, fenestration and heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Sharing and considering data from multiple device types will further improve overall, sustained, system performance and operation. Control algorithms will prioritize lighting or heating/cooling savings based on climate and building design. HVAC system management will leverage passive ventilatio

Power and Water Saving Advanced Hybrid Air/Wet Cooling System

This project will integrate water features into a novel heat exchanger which uses high performance porous fins to enhance cooling ability. Bench scale testing has shown the ability of the heat exchanger to enhance cooling through water vaporization and mass transfer. By integrating the proven heat exchanger with water features, this project has the potential to create a low cost and low risk product to reduce electric power and water use of refrigeration systems in California.

Power Management User Interface

This project seeks to reduce computers' energy consumption by improving how users employ existing power management capabilities. Although all computers have the capacity to enter low-power modes such as sleep, and can be shut down when not in use, this potential for energy savings has not been realized in the majority of desktop computers. The majority of desktop computers remain on at full power when they are not being used. The problem is one of user behavior. The project will use a software solution to change user behavior by changing the tool they are using. This approach is firmly based in behavior theory and human-computer interaction research, which have long demonstrated that the interface of a device can change users' behavior. The energy savings of applying such an interface is estimated to be as high as 50 percent per computer, between 139 and 321 kWh per year.

Power Management User Interface

This project seeks to reduce computers' energy consumption by improving how users employ existing power management capabilities. Although all computers have the capacity to enter low-power modes such as sleep, and can be shut down when not in use, this potential for energy savings has not been realized in the majority of desktop computers. The majority of desktop computers remain on at full power when they are not being used. The problem is one of user behavior. The project will use a software solution to change user behavior by changing the tool they are using. This approach is firmly based in behavior theory and human-computer interaction research, which have long demonstrated that the interface of a device can change users' behavior. The energy savings of applying such an interface is estimated to be as high as 50 percent per computer, between 139 and 321 kWh per year.

Robust Super Insulation at a Competitive Price

Heating and cooling represents the greatest energy consumption in buildings. This agreement develops thermal building insulation material with high R-value at a cost competitive to conventional insulation materials. The expected result provides a significant increase in energy efficiency for retrofitting buildings.

San Diego Libraries Zero Net Energy and Integrated Demand Side Management Demonstration Project

This project will integrate pre-commercial energy efficiency measures, building automation and controls system, behind the meter solar photovoltaic and energy storage in three existing public libraries in the City of San Diego. In addition to demonstrating cost-effective pathways to achieving maximum energy efficiency in the small commercial/municipal building sector, the recipient will engage in a multiyear, flexible, and transparent collaboration aimed at uncovering, testing, verifying and publicizing strategies for integrating energy efficiency, energy storage, solar photovoltaics, and other demand side resources to achieve near zero net energy in each library and to evaluate the financial value proposition.

Small and Medium Building Efficiency Toolkit and Community Demonstration Program

This project developed a retrofit energy toolkit for SMB and demonstrated the Toolkit's capabilities on three to four building test sites. The project obtained input from stakeholders on retrofit packages, compiled utility smart-meter data and developed a load shape analysis module. The project also looked at the indoor environmental quality effects on retrofitted small office and retail buildings, and developed a comprehensive web-based retrofit tool for business owners and energy professionals.