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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 101 - 125 of 204

Improving Steam Distribution Systems

The proposer seeks to assess the prevalence of different space heating systems and the efficacy of known measures that address their most common inefficiencies. The proposer will convene an advisory panel, assess the scope of steam heat as a problem in New York as well as existing measures, and conduct a cost-benefit and impact analysis. The project will complete with the development of proposals for policymakers, industry customers, and potential training programs.

Innovative Net Zero: ZNE Demonstration in Existing Low-Income Mixed-Use Housing

This project will demonstrate the installation of innovative technologies to retrofit an existing, low-income, mixed-use multi-unit building in a dense urban setting to become zero net energy (ZNE). Innovative strategies include a rapid new technology discovery and assessment approach, to ensure the most current emerging technologies are incorporated, as well as innovative measurement and verification. These approaches and other ZNE design process innovations will be packaged into an advanced ZNE design methodology for use in the demonstration project as well as broad dissemination to the design and innovation community. Numerous technical innovations and pre-commercial technologies are planned for inclusion including dynamic chromatic glass, heat recovery ventilators, variable refrigerant flow, occupancy based plug-load management, advanced light emitting diode lighting systems and a combined photovoltaic-thermal system.

Innovative Net Zero: ZNE Demonstration in Existing Low-Income Mixed-Use Housing

This project will demonstrate the installation of innovative technologies to retrofit an existing, low-income, mixed-use multi-unit building in a dense urban setting to become zero net energy (ZNE). Innovative strategies include a rapid new technology discovery and assessment approach, to ensure the most current emerging technologies are incorporated, as well as innovative measurement and verification. These approaches and other ZNE design process innovations will be packaged into an advanced ZNE design methodology for use in the demonstration project as well as broad dissemination to the design and innovation community. Numerous technical innovations and pre-commercial technologies are planned for inclusion including dynamic chromatic glass, heat recovery ventilators, variable refrigerant flow, occupancy based plug-load management, advanced light emitting diode lighting systems and a combined photovoltaic-thermal system.

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.

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.

Intelligent HVAC Controls for Low Income Households: A Low Cost Non-connected Device that Understands Consumer Preferences and Performs Adaptive Optimization

This project will develop a low cost smart thermostat unit that will have simple user interface. Though the test sites are low-income and senior housing, this technology could be adapted to other residential sectors. The smart thermostat will understand user preferences and manage indoor conditions to optimize energy use without requiring internet connectivity. HVAC energy use can be traced to three factors: losses in the ducting system, substandard equipment efficiency and occupant settings. Low income households are mostly renters which makes changes to the duct system or HVAC unit not feasible. By providing automatically optimized thermostat settings this project will determine if smart thermostats are a cost effective method to address HVAC energy use in the low-income and senior housing sectors.

Intelligent Residential Comfort Control Applications

This project focuses on establishing a framework and identifying priority R&D needs for coordination with industry, Emerging Technology and market deployment programs. PNNL will develop a white paper evaluating the state of the art of commercially available sensors and controls technology for operations, maintenance, and commissioning applications in residential HVAC. This work assesses technology gaps and market needs, and provides clear recommendations for government action and industry involvement in advancing sensors, controls, diagnostics, and automated fault correction. The task will explore opportunities for industry engagement to gain feedback on report findings, better identify industry development plans, and focus BA/BTO investments.

Investigating the Health Impacts of Outdoor Lighting

This project will attempt to measure the impact of lighting on the users of an outdoor lighting space. The experiments will determine the effects of different lighting types on the melatonin levels of the participants. As different CCT light sources will be used, their differing spectral contents can be evaluated to determine the most appropriate light source for implementation in the outdoor environment.

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.

Linkage-less Burner Retrofits for Steam Boilers

Steven Winter Associates (SWA) will conduct the retrofit installation and commissioning of (2) steam boiler burners with linkageless burner controls at demonstration sites in NYC. The project will use remotely monitored measurement and verification equipment to provide data collection of the systems pre and post- retrofit. SWA will oversee the installation and commissioning of the systems to ensure optimization of energy performance at demonstration sites. SWA will then develop a best practices strategy for the retrofitting process and the collected data will be analyzed for cost analysis, energy savings, metrics, and payback over both heating and non-heating seasons. The results of the project will be shared with building owners, management firms, building operators, and representatives from municipal and state organizations who are responsible for the evaluation of boiler upgrades in their respective organizations.

Low Cost Corrugated Substrates for High Efficiency OLEDs

North Carolina State University will develop OLEDs fabricated on low-cost high index corrugated substrates with a semi-random periodicity to give enhancements in extraction efficiency across the entire visible spectrum, due to the extraction of the thin-film-guided and surface-plasmon modes.

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.

Low-Cost Gas Heat Pump For Building Space Heating

Stone Mountain Technologies will build and test a low-cost gas heat pump that is optimized for heating-dominated climates. The technology will reduce heating costs by 30% - 45% compared to conventional gas furnaces and boilers.

Low-Cost Identification and Monitoring of Diverse MELs in Residential and Commercial Buildings with PowerBlade

This project will help address the challenge of identifying loads within the long tail of consumption by integrating the previously developed PowerBlade wireless AC plug-through meters to measure real, reactive, and apparent power with load monitoring based on extracting high-fidelity electrical waveform features to capture power profiles and automatically identify and categorize MELs in a scalable manner.

Low-GWP HVAC System with Ultra-Small Centrifugal Compression

Mechanical Solutions, Inc. will develop a residential HVAC system featuring a highly efficient small centrifugal compressor. This project could provide a cheaper, more efficient, more environmentally friendly HVAC option for residential and commercial buildings.

Low-Rise Multifamily Field Study

Ecotope, Inc. will conduct energy code field studies in Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, and Illinois to measure the impact of energy codes on multifamily buildings, and identify opportunities for savings through increased compliance.

Luminaires for Advanced Lighting in Education

RTI International will develop and demonstrate novel luminaire designs that utilize advanced classroom lighting system technology, demonstrate the benefits of dynamic lighting, and collect feedback from education stakeholders. These efforts could increase the use of next-generation lighting in schools.

Market evaluation and detailed energy analysis of the NextAire variable refrigerant volume natural gas-fired heat pump

Gas Technology Institute will develop and conduct advanced modeling of the GHP system in order to provide a detailed assessment of the technology using regional weather data and detailed utility information for several New York locations and building types. The project will include a market assessment of the competitiveness of the variable refrigerant volume (VRV) GHP, including energy and economic benefits, the value of resiliency, and the value of self-powered heating and cooling systems for customers in New York. The Proposer will take into account the energy savings, operating costs, lifecycle costs, and greenhouse gas emissions in order to determine any energy, economic, or environmental merits of GHPs over standard HVAC equipment