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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 51 - 91 of 91

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.

Measure Results from Affordable Zero Net Energy Homes

The project will implement lessons learned from previous high performance housing research and measure the results in two new houses built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and homeowners. The houses will be built in a disadvantaged community in Stockton. Each house will include advanced architectural design features, high performance enclosures, advanced heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, low-cost water heating systems and other advanced energy efficiency measures. One all-electric home and one mixed fuel (combined electric and natural gas) home will be built to demonstrate the respective costeffectiveness of each set of features. In addition to the measured results from actual occupancy, the project will develop a guide to affordable residential zero net energy design and construction, training curriculum, and new class offerings based on the project results for building practitioners.

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.

Optimizing Use of Non-traditional Waters, Drought Proofing the Electricity System and Improving Snowpack Prediction

The purpose of this project is to fund research that will reduce the stress on current water infrastructure in California. Research will include: (1) development of high water recovery desalination processes for non-traditional waters, (2) characterizing the potential for non-traditional water use in California, (3) development of recycled water scenarios for electricity generation, and (4) improving the characterization of California's snowpack.

Optimizing Use of Non-traditional Waters, Drought Proofing the Electricity System and Improving Snowpack Prediction

The purpose of this project is to fund research that will reduce the stress on current water infrastructure in California. Research will include: (1) development of high water recovery desalination processes for non-traditional waters, (2) characterizing the potential for non-traditional water use in California, (3) development of recycled water scenarios for electricity generation, and (4) improving the characterization of California's snowpack.

Pathways to More Cost-Effective ZNE Homes

The project will provide detailed cost effectiveness modeling of all electric zero net energy (ZNE) homes versus ZNE homes with gas-based heating. Evaluation will include costs of building integration, energy efficiency packages, installed equipment and lifetime investment costs such as energy costs, and infrastructure costs (natural gas pipeline and electricity distribution system). The project will provide both spatial and temporal analysis in providing cost effectiveness assessment in four California climate zones and provide cost evolution scenarios as a function of time, for example as the ZNE industry scales up and under various policy and energy cost assumptions. The analysis will provide policymakers with a better understanding of the costs and benefits of ZNE policy choices between today and future ZNE milestones (2020, 2030), and the trade-offs for all electric versus electric and gas households

Pathways to More Cost-Effective ZNE Homes

The project will provide detailed cost effectiveness modeling of all electric zero net energy (ZNE) homes versus ZNE homes with gas-based heating. Evaluation will include costs of building integration, energy efficiency packages, installed equipment and lifetime investment costs such as energy costs, and infrastructure costs (natural gas pipeline and electricity distribution system). The project will provide both spatial and temporal analysis in providing cost effectiveness assessment in four California climate zones and provide cost evolution scenarios as a function of time, for example as the ZNE industry scales up and under various policy and energy cost assumptions. The analysis will provide policymakers with a better understanding of the costs and benefits of ZNE policy choices between today and future ZNE milestones (2020, 2030), and the trade-offs for all electric versus electric and gas households

Performance Evolution, Specification and Verification of Building Control Sequences

The project develops IT based component technologies to enable more efficient building operations and reduce costs. The project is expected to reduce the time to specify, implement and verify the proper operation of control sequences and make a strong business case for designers, controls contractors and controls manufacturers to adopt the new technology.

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

Plug Load Reduction App:RYPL

This project will research methods to reduce home idle loads by utilizing smart meter analytics, an engaging smart phone app, a new online crowd-sourced database of miscellaneous electric loads, and an online efficient product marketplace to educate California residents about the idle load of their home and ways to reduce it. The system will be piloted within all three electric investor owned utility territories and measure actual energy savings through smart meter data.

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.

Residential Intelligent Energy Management Solution: Advanced Intelligence to Enable Integration of Distributed Energy Resources

This project will test and validate an Intelligent Energy Management Solution (iEMS) in 100 residences to communicate with a variety of distributed energy resources over different climate zones and behavioral patterns. The intent of the project is to model and measure the potential energy and cost impact associated with the use of the iEMS in homes without affecting occupant comfort. The project will also integrate the use of pilot time-of-use utility rates in conjunction with simulated dynamic pricing signals to optimize customer cost savings.

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.

Solar-Reflective "Cool" Walls: Benefits, Technologies, and Implementation

Increasing the albedo (solar reflectance) of a building's envelope reduces solar heat gain in the cooling season. Raising envelope albedo can also cool the outside air, boosting energy savings and demand reduction by decreasing the air temperature difference across the building envelope. Lowering urban surface and air temperatures improves air quality by slowing the reactions that produce smog, and delays global warming through negative radiative forcing ("global cooling"). Current data are insufficient to accurately predict savings impacts for different cool wall materials; which prevents cool wall technology from being included in building standards or utility rebate programs.

The Value Proposition for Cost-Effective, DR-Enabling, Nonresidential Lighting System Retrofits in California Buildings

This project will identify, quantify and evaluate the incremental costs and benefits of demand responsive (DR) lighting controls system requirements in the California Energy Code across existing, non-residential building stock. The project will focus on the incremental costs and benefits associated with adding the DR functionality to enhance general lighting upgrades in existing, non-residential buildings to enable them to act as DR resources.

The Value Proposition for Cost-Effective, DR-Enabling, Nonresidential Lighting System Retrofits in California Buildings

This project will identify, quantify and evaluate the incremental costs and benefits of demand responsive (DR) lighting controls system requirements in the California Energy Code across existing, non-residential building stock. The project will focus on the incremental costs and benefits associated with adding the DR functionality to enhance general lighting upgrades in existing, non-residential buildings to enable them to act as DR resources.

Tools and Materials for Zero Net Energy California Buildings

This project researched new phase change materials (PCM) to store thermal energy for wall assemblies, and develop associated software tools. Heat is absorbed or released when the materials change from solid to liquid or vice versa. PCMs absorb thermal energy and they can reduce the need for heating and cooling in some buildings. Their impact is similar to that of adding thermal mass to the building. Unlike air conditioning systems, they require no maintenance. The use of PCMs and associated software tools can contribute to zero net energy commercial buildings by reducing the energy needs of a building through passive design.

Total Charge Management: Advanced Charge Management for Renewable Integration

This project will explore the benefits and opportunities of Total Charge Management, where electric vehicle charging is managed across multiple charging events to maximize vehicle load flexibility. The project will test how flexible electric vehicle load can be if managed across a driver's daily or weekly charge events. This flexibility will utilize several pricing mechanisms to estimate the benefits of the Total Charge Management approach. The research will develop and evaluate advanced vehicle telematics for utilities and grid operators to align vehicle battery status, driver mobility needs and grid conditions. Collaboration between the grid and the driver can yield a charging load profile that minimizes energy costs by aligning daily and weekly charging events to best meet grid needs.

Transactive Incentive Signals to Manage Electricity Consumption for Demand Response

The Recipient will develop Transactive Load management (TLM) signals, expressed in the form of proxy prices reflective of current and future grid conditions, and implement software to calculate such signals. These signals will be designed to provide customers sufficient information to optimize their energy costs by managing their demand in response to system needs. The signals will be transported via proven and available protocols and networks for use by projects that will test the efficacy of the TLM signals using the demand response projects awarded under agreement EPC-15-054.

Unlocking Plug Load Energy Savings through Energy Reporting

This project will develop an interoperable protocol that can be implemented in all plug-load devices, unhampered by proprietary restrictions which will implement energy reporting to enable plug-load devices to transmit operating information - such as identity, power consumption, and functional state - through a communications network to a central entity. After a communication infrastructure is established for plug-load devices, the data flow can be reversed to send control signals to individual devices. The central management system that this project will demonstrate is well positioned to provide comprehensive control over diverse plug-load devices.

Unlocking Plug Load Energy Savings through Energy Reporting

This project will develop an interoperable protocol that can be implemented in all plug-load devices, unhampered by proprietary restrictions which will implement energy reporting to enable plug-load devices to transmit operating information - such as identity, power consumption, and functional state - through a communications network to a central entity. After a communication infrastructure is established for plug-load devices, the data flow can be reversed to send control signals to individual devices. The central management system that this project will demonstrate is well positioned to provide comprehensive control over diverse plug-load devices.

Using Data-Driven Approaches to Design Advanced Energy Communities for Existing Buildings

This project is funding the planning, permitting, and preliminary engineering needed for the integration of advanced energy technologies in a disadvantaged community. The design will provide locally generated, GHG-free electricity from community solar and storage to offset electricity consumption of participants who opt in to the AEC. The design will also enable participants to benefit from savings resulting from various onsite Integrated Demand Side Management (IDSM) actions at no up-front cost, including energy efficiency retrofits, demand response, energy management systems, and an energy education and support program. Participants will pay back retrofit costs and cost of capital for solar and storage assets through an on-bill financing mechanism, including a first-of-its-kind virtual net metering (VNEM) tariff across multiple county-owned sites and residential buildings piloted by Los Angeles Community Choice Energy (LACCE). The project has a strong focus on local outreach and engagement to promote community participation in the AEC, as well as robust data evaluation methods facilitated through the LA County Energy Atlas to ensure design and financing features are optimized.

Using Renewable Natural Gas in Common Appliances and Implications on Emissions, Fuel Stability and Operational Performance

The purpose of this Agreement is to fund applied research and development to evaluate the stability, operational, and emissions implications of operating dual fuel appliances in homes and businesses that can use both pipeline quality natural gas and biogas, a.k.a. renewable natural gas, also referred to as methane. An overview of the market availability of these appliances will be provided along with a summary of existing test results and procedures used to evaluate these devices. Existing data, and new test data from a representative list of appliances collected in this study will be used to stimulate information on stability, performance and emissions using various fuel mixture ratios and fuel intensities. Recommendations for burner design modifications to enable use of larger amounts of renewable gas (biogas) will be made.

Very Low-cost MEMS-based Ultrasonic Anemometer for Use Indoors and in HVAC Ducts

This project will develop low-cost, low power, accurate, calibration-free, and compact airflow sensors (anemometers) for measuring: (1) room airflow in occupied commercial buildings; and (2) volumetric air flow in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The technology will save energy by using the collected data to correct current wasteful HVAC malfunctions that result in inefficient systems and uncomfortable buildings. The anemometers will be wireless, able to be inexpensively installed in existing buildings, and operate on a battery for years and communicate wirelessly via the internet to the building's control system. The device will also sense temperature, its orientation, and its location

Very Low-cost MEMS-based Ultrasonic Anemometer for Use Indoors and in HVAC Ducts

This project will develop low-cost, low power, accurate, calibration-free, and compact airflow sensors (anemometers) for measuring: (1) room airflow in occupied commercial buildings; and (2) volumetric air flow in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The technology will save energy by using the collected data to correct current wasteful HVAC malfunctions that result in inefficient systems and uncomfortable buildings. The anemometers will be wireless, able to be inexpensively installed in existing buildings, and operate on a battery for years and communicate wirelessly via the internet to the building's control system. The device will also sense temperature, its orientation, and its location

VOLTTRON Testing Tool Kit

This federal cost share project demonstrates the benefits of the VOLTTRON platform for DER management through the testing of the VOLTTRON Testing Tool Kit. VOLTTRON is a US Department of Energy funded open source platform intended to provide a software base for integrating management of energy demand in buildings, distributed energy resources, and the electrical grid. The tool kit expands the VOLTTRON platform beyond its original set of developers and encourages adoption by other organizations and private entities. By lowering implementation costs and adding additional features such as simulation test suites and debugging tools, the tool kit promotes wider use of the VOLTTRON platform.

Zero Energy Residential Optimization - Community Achievement (ZERO-CA)

The project will serve as proof of concept for large-scale deployment of zero net energy (ZNE) single-family homes in California. The objective is to construct ZNE homes without creating undue cost burdens on businesses or consumers, while assuring that changes to home design do not pose health, safety or other risks to occupants. Additionally, the project will provide industry and regulators with a better understanding of the assumptions associated with site energy use and renewable energy generation and will provide resources to builders to assist them with controlling costs on ZNE home construction.