News

DOE announces the selection of thirteen (13) applications in response to Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-PS26-04NT42114 entitled Energy Efficient Building Technologies

Analysis Results for Performance-Based Ratings for the ENERGY STAR^® Windows Program: Next Iteration (PDF 419 KB)

WDMA and AAMA to Pursue Consolidation (PDF 23 KB)

Windows R&D Roadmap Update Meeting held at WDMA (PDF 6.46 MB)

Archive of past meetings, events and news releases

DOE-funded smart windows technology continues to win awards and earn praises

As the result of the collaborative dialog between the Department of Energy, government researchers and industry through DOE's Roadmap Implementation Meeting and this GovForums Online Collaboration Center, the Building Technologies Program recently identified and helped fund three companies engaged in the research and development of promising new windows technologies.

Sage  Electrochromics, Inc. was one of those companies and with the help of a technology innovation grant the company has developed an energy-saving window technology that is winning a number of awards, praises and recognitions. For instance, last summer the company was named a 2004 winner in the highly competitive R&D 100 Award. This competition honors "the 100 most technologically significant products introduced into the marketplace over the past year." Last month the Wall Street Journal honored Sage Electrochromics as a Runner Up in the 2004 Technology Innovation Award. Home Magazine also recognized the company when it named Velux as the winner of its Home 2005 Building Product Award in the Windows category for its SageGlass^® — skylights with electrochromatic tintable glass — a technology developed by Sage Electrochromics, Inc.

R&D 100 Award underscores the significant impact of DOE-funded research

Technology innovation grants by the Department of Energy is having a tremendous impact in helping to spur commercially viable innovative products and technologies. David Garman, former Acting Under Secretary at DOE highlighted the importance of the Department's role in nurturing energy-saving technology. "At a time when some question whether or not their tax money is delivering results ... the R&D 100 awards serve to recognize excellence, innovation, and relevance. Thirty-six of this year's R&D 100 award winning innovations were funded, in whole or in part, by the taxpayers through the Department of Energy. That brings our total, since 1962, to 669 R&D 100s. Read more.

For more than 20 years, DOE Inventions and Innovation grant program has funded more than 500 energy-efficient inventions with nearly 25 percent of them reaching the marketplace. Cumulative sales for those products total nearly $710 million.

Announcement of EERE Financial Opportunities Web Site

With the support and advice of the EERE Office of Business Administration, the EERE Web Team has launched a new Financial Opportunities Web Site covering financial opportunities associated with EERE programs. The site contains information for consumers, businesses, universities, federal managers, states, inventors and tribal organizations, tailored to their specific information needs.

We hope this site will provide helpful referral resources for general or specific inquiries on EERE financial opportunities and solicitations.

This site can be accessed from the EERE Home Page, at: http://www.eere.energy.gov/ or by using the link below, which you can bookmark through your browser: http://www.eere.energy.gov/financing/

Read Volunteer to Save Energy by Glass Magazine, an official publication of the National Glass Association. The entire article can be accessed from www.glass.org.

Department of Energy Projects Win R&D Magazine Technology Awards. More info.

"Smart" Glass Breaking New Ground. More info.

Department of Energy Projects Win R&D Magazine Technology Awards; Annual Ceremony Scheduled for Oct. 14 in Chicago.
More info.

Draft Building Envelope R&D Peer Review Report (PDF 175 KB)

Thermal Insulation and Building Materials activities are suspended in FY05 Budget Request (PDF 288 KB)

Building Technologies FY 2005 Program Budget (PDF 622 KB)

U.S. DOE Building Envelope R&D Roadmap Update session at the Performance of Exterior Envelopes of Whole Building IX International Conference in Florida Dec 5.

In December 2002, DOE conducted an implementation workshop to further define priorities that were subsequently included in a competitive solicitation to provide funding to support high risk — high reward research. This workshop provided an update of the Department's progress in the implementation of the roadmap along with the status of current research activities. Participant's input to priorities and long term technical targets were key drivers in future research planning. Current DOE goals of constructing cost effective net zero energy homes by 2020 and net zero commercial buildings by 2025 and the impact that it has on the direction of Building Envelope R&D is also covered. Presentations and a meeting summary are posted in "Get Materials."

For additional background and a copy of the Roadmap, click on the Summary and Reports button on the left. To share your thoughts before, during and after the meeting, join our forum and add your thoughts to the list of comments from our many engaged stakeholders.

See Attendees | Get Materials

DOE's Windows R&D Roadmap Implementation Meeting at AAMA's Fall Meeting.

On October 16, 2003, DOE held a planning meeting at the American Architectural Manufacturers Association's (AAMA) Fall meeting in Phoenix. More than 50 people attended the follow-up to last December's Chicago meeting, "The Future of Envelope & Windows RD&D: Moving the Roadmap Forward." Key topics included: current research activities being conducted by the National Laboratories and Industry and an update on research plans and competitive R&D with a focus on dynamic windows, super insulating windows, design and rating software tools, durability, and other relevant items. You can view the presentations and meeting summary from this meeting by clicking "Get Materials" below.

As a result of the inputs at the meeting, DOE updated its draft technical targets for long term windows R&D. DOE requests your comments by 12-10 on the revised R&D targets (see get materials) to ensure that the Department's Programmatic goals are consistent with that of the industry. While these targets are aggressive, it is DOE's' belief that they can be achieved with a concerted effort on everyone's part. These targets are the main focus of the Windows R&D program.

See Attendees | Get Materials

Performance Based Windows Rating System Workshop Engages Stakeholders

Window manufacturers throughout the United States are using the ENERGY STAR® Windows program, sponsored by the DOE, to identify and market high performance residential window, skylight, and door products. DOE hosted a workshop at the Forrestal Building in Washington D.C. on September 30, 2003 to discuss the possibility of establishing a performance based rating system for the ENERGY STAR® Windows program. Many stakeholders submitted comments using the innovative GovForum at right. You can click any topic to see what was said or sign up and log in to add your own thoughts and comments. Presentations from the meeting are also available from the "Get Materials" button below.

NFRC will be reviewing and updating the assumptions, inputs and variable data for the RESFEN model over the next several months, while LBNL will be further developing options 2 and 3. A summary of the meeting and schedule can be found by clicking "Get Materials" below, along with additional materials and analyses.

See Attendees | Get Materials

Join E&W Forum!

The Envelope & Windows R&D Forum is a new way for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE) Building Technologies Program to interact with its many stakeholders. The Forum will engage envelope and window stakeholders interested in selecting, ranking and integrating R&D priorities into program activities. The Forum will help you stay on top of activities associated with EERE, the Roadmap, industry, and research underway at the national labs. Ideas about the Roadmap's future direction will be shared and you will be able to share your views through The Forum.
Join today by registering here!

FY 2006 Buildings Technology Budget Request

The budget request for Building Envelope R&D in FY 06 is $4.9 million. Consistent with the approach in FY05, the FY06 budget emphasizes activities that improve the performance of dynamic windows, while effectively suspending R&D in thermal insulation and building materials due to the advanced state of the latter and its present demonstration in the residential sub-program.

Research will continue on highly insulating windows. In FY06, the program will place particular emphasis on reducing the technical hurdles to increasing the size and improving the performance of dynamic windows. Research will focus on improvements in the performance, manufacturer yields, and fundamental processes of prototype electrochromic devices developed in Fiscal Year 2005.

The Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Request for EERE is $1.2 billion and the Building Technologies Program is $57.97 million. DOE continues to allocate more funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy than it does for any other energy activity.

DOE FY 2006 Budget In Brief