DE-FOA-0003158-Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) - 2024 Mod 0001.pdf

Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation

Technologies (BENEFIT) – 2024

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0003158 FOA Type: Modification No. 0001 Assistance Listing Number: 81.086

FOA Issue Date: 11/06/2023 Submission Deadline for Concept Papers: 12/18/2023 5:00pm ET Submission Deadline for Full Applications: 03/05/2024 5:00pm ET Expected Submission Deadline for Replies to Reviewer Comments: 04/15/2024 5:00pm ET Expected Date for EERE Selection Notifications: 06/25/2024 Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations: 06/26/2024-8/30/2024

• Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5:00pm ET on the due date listed above to be eligible to submit a Full Application.

• To apply to this FOA, applicants must register with and submit application materials through EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-eXCHANGE.energy.gov, EERE’s online application portal.

• Applicants must designate primary and backup points-of-contact in EERE eXCHANGE with whom EERE will communicate to conduct award negotiations. If an application is selected for award negotiations, it is not a commitment to issue an award. It is imperative that the applicant/selectee be responsive during award negotiations and meet negotiation deadlines. Failure to do so may result in cancelation of further award negotiations and rescission of the selection.

• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) - Each applicant (unless the applicant is excepted from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110) is required to: (1) Be registered in the SAM at https://www.sam.gov before submitting its application; (2) provide a valid UEI number in its application; and (3) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. DOE may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/

Questions about this FOA? Email BENEFIT24@ee.doe.gov.

Problems with EERE Exchange? Email EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov Include FOA name and number in subject line.

and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time DOE is ready to make a federal award, the DOE will determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

NOTE: Due to the high demand of UEI requests and SAM registrations, entity legal business name and address validations are taking longer than expected to process.

Entities should start the UEI and SAM registration process as soon as possible. If entities have technical difficulties with the UEI validation or SAM registration process they should utilize the HELP feature on SAM.gov. SAM.gov will work entity service tickets in the order in which they are received and asks that entities not create multiple service tickets for the same request or technical issue. Additional entity validation resources can be found here: GSAFSD Tier 0 Knowledge Base - Validating your Entity.

Modifications

All modifications to the FOA are HIGHLIGHTED in the body of the FOA.

Mod. No. Date Description of Modification 001 1/26/2024 • Revisions made throughout to align with new FOA template.

• Section I.B: Revised Performance Goal/Target Outcomes for Subtopic 1B.

• Section III.E.i: Replaced Value/Funding and Cost Share sections with Section III.E.i.c Funding, Cost Share, and Subaward with FFRDCs.

• Section IV.D:

• Added information re: the use of SAM.gov for certifications and assurances per OMB Memo (M-18-

24) under SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance.

• Added description of Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects to Technical Volume.

• Revised description of Letters of Commitment.

• Added submission requirement for Locations of Work and instruction reflecting requirement to provide data elements but optional use of LOW template.

• Section IV.G: Added notice regarding extended registration times for SAM registration and UEI requests.

• Section IV.J.i: Clarified references to cost principles regarding for-profits.

mailto:EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov https://sam.gov/content/help https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1

Questions about this FOA? Email BENEFIT24@ee.doe.gov.

subject line.

• Section IV.J.ii: Replaced Selectees with “Applicants selected to award negotiations (selectees)”.

• Section IV.J.vii:

• Deleted Domestic Preference- Infrastructure Projects.

• Added Build America Buy America Requirements for

Infrastructure Projects.

• Section IV.J.xii: Added Affirmative Action and Pay

Transparency Requirements.

• Section V.C.i:

• Added PPF re: procurement of U.S. products and materials.

• Revised/reorganized Optional PPFs

• Section VI.B.vii: Added Flood Resilience requirement.

• Appendix H: Added provision re: Required Use of

American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, And Construction Materials for Infrastructure Projects mailto:EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov

Questions about this FOA? BENEFIT24@ee.doe.gov.

subject line.

i

Table of Contents

Modifications

Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................ i

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

i. Background and Purpose

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals

iii. BTO-Relevant Metrics and Application Elements

iv. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

v. Teaming Partner List

B. Topic Areas C. Applications Specifically Not of Interest D. Authorizing Statutes

II. Award Information

A. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding

ii. Period of Performance

iii. New Applications Only

B. EERE Funding Agreements

i. Cooperative Agreements

ii. Funding Agreements with Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDCs)

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

i. Individuals

ii. Domestic Entities

iii. Foreign Entities

iv. Incorporated Consortia

v. Unincorporated Consortia

B. Cost Sharing

i. Legal Responsibility

ii. Cost Share Allocation

iii. Cost Share Types and Allowability

iv. Cost Share Contributions by FFRDCs

v. Cost Share Verification

vi. Cost Share Payment

C. Compliance Criteria

i. Compliance Criteria

D. Responsiveness Criteria E. Other Eligibility Requirements

i. Requirements for DOE/NNSA and non-DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Centers Included as a Subrecipient

F. Limitation on Number of Concept Papers and Full Applications Eligible for Review G. Questions Regarding Eligibility

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Application Process

i. Additional Information on EERE eXCHANGE subject line.

ii

B. Application Forms C. Content and Form of the Concept Paper

i. Concept Paper Content Requirements D. Content and Form of the Full Application

i. Full Application Content Requirements

ii. Technical Volume

iii. Resumes

iv. Letters of Commitment

v. Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO)

vi. SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance

vii. Budget Justification Workbook

viii. Summary/Abstract for Public Release

ix. Summary Slide

x. Subrecipient Budget Justification (if applicable)

xi. Budget for DOE/NNSA FFRDC (if applicable)

xii. Authorization for non-DOE/NNSA or DOE/NNSA FFRDCs (if applicable)

xiii. SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

xiv. Waiver Requests: Foreign Entity and Foreign Work (if applicable)

xv. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan

xvi. Current and Pending Support

xvii. Locations of Work

xviii. Transparency of Foreign Connections

xix. Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice

E. Content and Form of Replies to Reviewer Comments F. Post Selection Information Requests G. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) H. Submission Dates and Times I. Intergovernmental Review J. Funding Restrictions

i. Allowable Costs

ii. Pre-Award Costs

iii. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)

iv. Construction

v. Foreign Travel

vi. Equipment and Supplies

vii. Build America Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects

viii. Lobbying

ix. Risk Assessment

x. Invoice Review and Approval

xi. Affirmative Action and Pay Transparency Requirements

xii. Prohibition Related to Foreign Government-Sponsored Talent Recruitment Programs

xiii. Foreign Collaboration Considerations

V. Application Review Information

A. Technical Review Criteria

i. Concept Papers

ii. Full Applications

iii. Criteria for Replies to Reviewer Comments

B. Standards for Application Evaluation C. Other Selection Factors

i. Program Policy Factors D. Evaluation and Selection Process

i. Overview subject line.

iii

ii. Pre-Selection Clarification

iii. Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters

iv. Selection

E. Anticipated Notice of Selection and Award Negotiation Dates

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

i. Ineligible Submissions

ii. Concept Paper Notifications

iii. Full Application Notifications

iv. Applicants Selected for Award Negotiations

v. Alternate Selection Determinations

vi. Unsuccessful Applicants

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

i. Registration Requirements

ii. Award Administrative Requirements

iii. Foreign National Participation

iv. Subaward and Executive Reporting

v. National Policy Requirements

vi. Environmental Review in Accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

vii. Flood Resilience

viii. Applicant Representations and Certifications

ix. Statement of Federal Stewardship

x. Statement of Substantial Involvement

xi. Intellectual Property Management Plan (IPMP)

xii. Subject Invention Utilization Reporting

xiii. Intellectual Property Provisions

xiv. Reporting

xv. Go/No-Go Review

xvi. Conference Spending

xvii. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Financing Statements

xviii. Implementation of Executive Order 13798, Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty

xix. Participants and Collaborating Organizations

xx. Current and Pending Support

xxi. U.S. Manufacturing Commitments

xxii. Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance

xxiii. Data Management Plan (DMP)

xxiv. Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

xxv. Human Subjects Research

VII. Questions/Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

A. FOA Modifications B. Government Right to Reject or Negotiate C. Commitment of Public Funds D. Treatment of Application Information E. Evaluation and Administration by Non-Federal Personnel F. Notice Regarding Eligible/Ineligible Activities G. Notice of Right to Conduct a Review of Financial Capability H. Requirement for Full and Complete Disclosure I. Retention of Submissions J. Title to Subject Inventions subject line.

iv

K. Government Rights in Subject Inventions L. Rights in Technical Data M. Copyright N. Export Control O. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) P. Annual Independent Audits Q. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment

Appendix A – Demand Side Management and Grid Services

Appendix B – Cost Share Information

Appendix C – Sample Cost Share Calculation for Blended Cost Share Percentage

Appendix D – Waiver Requests and Approval Processes: 1. Foreign Entity Participation as the Prime Recipient;

and 2. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)

Appendix E – Glossary

Appendix F – Definition of Technology Readiness Levels

Appendix G – List of Acronyms

Appendix H - Required Use of American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, and Construction Materials Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects subject line.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

i. Background and Purpose Building a clean and equitable energy economy and addressing the climate crisis is a top priority of the Biden Administration. This FOA will advance the Biden Administration’s goals to achieve carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 and to “deliver an equitable, clean energy future, and put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050“1 to the benefit of all Americans. The Department of Energy is committed to pushing the frontiers of science and engineering, catalyzing clean energy jobs through research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D), and ensuring environmental justice and inclusion of underserved communities.

The research and development (R&D) activities to be funded under this FOA will support the government-wide approach to the climate crisis by driving the innovation that can lead to the deployment of clean energy technologies, which are critical for climate protection. Specifically, this FOA supports applied research, development, and demonstration activities in high-priority building technologies, including next-generation HVAC, envelope, and lighting retrofits, as well as technologies that enhance the resilience of buildings and allow them to be assets to the electrical grid. The technologies this FOA supports are essential tools to ensuring deep decarbonization of the U.S. building stock is achieved equitably, with benefits to building owners and occupants across all building types, sectors, and geographies.

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals The Building Technologies Office (BTO) aims to decarbonize the building stock by making suitable technologies that exist today more accessible to all communities and addressing gaps where building decarbonization will require new innovations. Current technologies can decarbonize most of the building stock by 2050, while new technologies can speed the decarbonization of significant building segments and ensure emissions reductions also reduce customer energy burdens. The application of energy and power efficiency principles to the design and engineering of buildings and appliances ensures that decarbonization is maximally cost effective.

The long-term investments this FOA makes will reduce cost and enhance viability of building decarbonization with R&D, identify remaining needs with timely

1 Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” January 27, 2021.

subject line.

demonstrations, and increase the quality of life for building occupants through the commercialization of cutting-edge, clean technologies. Specifically, this FOA will support the development, validation, and demonstration of novel building technologies and retrofit practices in high-priority technology areas including air conditioning, space heating, water heating, and building envelopes. The FOA has the joint priority of making buildings more resilient, providing benefits to grid operators during periods of peak electricity demand and building occupants during grid outages and extreme weather events. Technologies developed in this FOA may also increase the viability and deployment of renewable energy technologies at scale by avoiding common triggers for costly upgrades, such as the need to trench new wiring to homes or increase the capacity of transformers or electrical load centers.

The 2024 BENEFIT FOA supports the Affordable Home Energy Shot, one of eight Energy Earthshot™ initiatives DOE has launched.2 The Affordable Home Energy Shot calls for innovations in building upgrades, efficient electrification, and smart controls that reduce the cost of decarbonizing affordable housing by at least 50% while lowering residents’ energy bill by at least 20% within a decade. Topics in the FOA call for innovations in each of these three pillars, and together provide whole-home, integrated solutions for the equitable decarbonization of affordable housing units. This includes investments in affordable envelope retrofits, HVAC cost reductions, and technologies that make building electrification more viable without costly infrastructure upgrades. Projects selected in this FOA will engage key building partners—including federal, state, and local governments, community groups, affordable housing providers, industry, and home energy practitioners—to advance the goals of the Affordable Home Energy Shot.

BTO has issued the BENEFIT FOA on a regular basis since 2014. The 2024 BENEFIT FOA will invest up to $30M (subject to appropriations) across four topic areas:

Topic 1: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning and Water Heating Technologies with improved materials, components, equipment design, and engineering, lower cost manufacturing processes, and easier installation.

Topic 2: Innovative, Replicable, and Low-Cost Roof and Attic Retrofits Technologies for affordable and scalable roof and attic retrofits that improve energy efficiency and address air and water infiltration.

2 Additional information on the Affordable Home Energy Shot can be found at https://www.energy.gov/eere/affordable-home-energy-shot https://www.energy.gov/eere/affordable-home-energy-shot subject line.

Topic 3: Building Resilience and Capacity Constraints Novel approaches to maintain essential loads during blackouts and add power capacity to buildings without the need for major infrastructure upgrades;

localized thermal management systems and thermally resilient building envelopes to provide cooling and overheating protection against extreme heat events.

Topic 4: Commercial Lighting Retrofit Advancements Low-cost, high-quality retrofit solutions for lagging sectors in energy-efficient lighting adoption (schools, certain commercial buildings).

The 2024 BENEFIT FOA permits a broad range of applications, which will help BTO to select the highest-impact awards and fulfill the most important needs for innovation. Applicants to this FOA may consider including field validation as part of their approach to verify technologies and integration practices or identify gaps in design and in-field performance.

iii. BTO-Relevant Metrics and Application Elements

FOA applications will be selected based on technical merit, impact, teaming arrangements, and DEI considerations. Full evaluation criteria can be found in Section V.A.

All applications should identify the baseline technology or approach, describe the current technology or market deficiencies, and characterize/quantify current performance and cost parameters. Where applicable, the applicant should identify any relevant regulations, efficiency standards, building codes or other barriers which impact the proposed technology and/or approach. The applicant should identify any positive or negative impacts that the proposed technology and/or approach could have on technology integration. To the extent possible, technology integration should be considered in energy savings, affordability, demand flexibility, and occupant comfort evaluations described below.

All applications should clearly detail a pathway for overcoming technology and market barriers through their approach. This includes a thorough discussion of the proposed technical approach including quantified energy metrics, cost characteristics, and impact on occupant comfort and quality of life. Applicants should clearly state all technical assumptions and provide appropriate data, data analysis, and/or modeling/simulation results to support the proposed approach.

Applicants should also detail key project risks and mitigation strategies.

Applications should address the specific metrics or goals identified in the topic area descriptions below. Applicants may need to address some combination of energy savings (technical energy savings potential), affordability (cost of subject line.

conserved energy), demand flexibility, and occupant comfort. The remainder of this section provides guidance on these calculations.

Energy Savings Calculations: Where required, applicants must provide the Primary Energy Savings Technical Potential (TBtu). The Primary Energy Savings Technical Potential is calculated as

Primary Energy Savings

Technical Potential (TBtu)

% Energy Savings Over Typical New

Technology

2040 Energy Market Size

(TBtu)

Where applicable, applicants should develop an energy conservation measure (ECM) for their proposed approach using BTO’s free calculation tool: Scout (https://scout.energy.gov/). Applicants can calculate energy savings using Scout by defining a custom ECM for their technology. Scout installation instructions (https://scout-bto.readthedocs.io/en/latest/installation_guide.html) and tutorials (https://scout-bto.readthedocs.io/en/latest/tutorials.html) document how to set up and use Scout to calculate energy savings from custom ECMs.

Applications using Scout should perform calculations of the energy savings technical potential for the year 2040.

Applicants may use other tools or methodologies to calculate their technical energy savings potential, such as BTO’s free calculation tool: Baseline Energy Calculator (https://scout.energy.gov/baseline-energy-calculator.html).

Applicants are required to fully detail the baselines, methodology, and assumptions in determining the energy savings potential such that BTO can critique calculations for proper validation.

Affordability Calculations: Where required, applicants must calculate affordability. Applicants are encouraged to use Scout to calculate the estimated cost of conserved energy (CCE) based on the analysis of their energy savings calculation.

Applicants may use other tools or methodologies to calculate affordability. For example, applicants proposing technology innovations might calculate the cost effectiveness of a technology, as measured by the Simple Payback. This is applicable only to technology innovations, and not to other innovations such as design tools or enabling technologies for which primary energy savings and/or payback are difficult to describe. Applicants should compute the Simple Payback for their proposed technology is calculated as https://scout.energy.gov/ https://scout-bto.readthedocs.io/en/latest/installation_guide.html https://scout-bto.readthedocs.io/en/latest/tutorials.html https://scout.energy.gov/baseline-energy-calculator.html https://scout.energy.gov/ subject line.

� Simple Payback (Yr)� =

[Cost($)]

� Cost Savings �

Yr��

[Cost($)]

�UEC �kWh Yr �� �Energy

Cost � $ kWh�� �

% Energy Savings � where Cost refers to the incremental initial cost of the proposed technology at scale, UEC is the unit energy consumption by a typical (new) incumbent technology per year, and % Energy Savings refers to savings of the proposed technology over a typical (new) incumbent technology it is replacing. Cost may be calculated as

[Cost($)] = �𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝($)� − [𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖($)] where 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 refers to the unit cost of the proposed technology and 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 refers to the unit cost of the incumbent technology.

Applicants should describe and provide supporting documentation for what they consider to be an acceptable maximum payback (in years which can vary significantly depending on the end use).

In all cases, applicants should fully describe the “next best alternative” technology or practice (e.g., the baseline or state of the art) against which they compare affordability, and any assumptions regarding economies of scale or learning curves that are determinative in the cost of their proposed solution such that BTO can properly validate calculations.

When considering affordability, applicants should ideally include costs that are related to the entire scope “cradle-to-grave” impacts of their approach. For example, when considering the construction process, applicants could consider the costs associated with the acquisition and transportation of materials and equipment, design costs, and labor. Likewise, consideration of embodied and end-of-life emissions will strengthen applications, and some topic areas may explicitly require it.

Demand Flexibility: Where required, applicants are expected to detail the ability of the proposed approach to provide one or more demand-side management strategies. Appendix A provides priority demand-side management strategies and related grid services, definitions, and key characteristics. Applicants should fully detail how demand flexibility will be addressed and quantify the extent that their solution will improve demand flexibility through one or more of the grid subject line.

services Appendix A identifies. The Overview of Research Challenges and Gap GEB Technical Report covers additional demand-side management strategies and technology specific considerations.3

In detailing demand flexibility potential, applicants should fully describe the baseline, the load change characteristics of the proposed approach (i.e., duration of energy change, ramp time to provide energy change, and magnitude of energy change), the market size, and the adoption assumptions such that BTO can properly validate calculations.

Occupant Comfort: This funding opportunity defines occupant comfort in terms of aspects of the human interacting with the building space. It includes, but is not limited to, aspects of the conditioned space such as air quality, temperature, and humidity. It includes visual aspects relevant to quality of light and task-specific lighting. Applicants to this funding opportunity must discuss any potential effects, both positive and negative, to occupant comfort affected by the proposed approach.

iv. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion It is the policy of the Biden Administration that:

[T]he Federal Government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity4 for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.

Affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our Government.

Because advancing equity requires a systematic approach to embedding fairness in decision-making processes, executive departments and agencies (agencies) must recognize and work to redress inequities in their policies and programs that serve as barriers to equal opportunity.

3 U.S. Department of Energy. Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings Technical Report Series – Overview of Research Challenges and Gaps. December, 2019. https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/pdfs/75470.pdf.

4 The term “equity” means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/pdfs/75470.pdf subject line.

By advancing equity across the Federal Government, we can create opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved, which benefits everyone.5

As part of this whole of government approach, this FOA seeks to encourage the participation of underserved communities6 and underrepresented groups.

Applicants are highly encouraged to include individuals from groups historically underrepresented7,8 in STEM on their project teams. As part of the application, applicants are required to describe how diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives will be incorporated in the project. Specifically, applicants are required to submit a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan that describes the actions the applicant will take to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment, support people from underrepresented groups in STEM, advance equity, and encourage the inclusion of individuals from these groups in the project; and the extent the project activities will be located in or benefit underserved communities (see Section IV.D.xv). The plan should include at least one SMART (Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-Related) milestone per

5 Executive Order 13985, “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government” (Jan. 20, 2021).

6 The term “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list of in the definition of “equity.” E.O. 13985. For purposes of this FOA, as applicable to geographic communities, applicants can refer to economically distressed communities identified by the Internal Revenue Service as Qualified Opportunity Zones; communities identified as disadvantaged or underserved communities by their respective States; communities identified on the Index of Deep Disadvantage referenced at https://news.umich.edu/new-index-ranks-americas-100-most-disadvantaged-communities/, and communities that otherwise meet the definition of “underserved communities” stated above.

7 According to the National Science Foundation’s 2019 report titled, “Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering”, women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minority groups—blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, and American Indians or Alaska Natives—are vastly underrepresented in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields that drive the energy sector.

That is, their representation in STEM education and STEM employment is smaller than their representation in the U.S. population. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf19304/digest/about-this-report For example, in the U.S., Hispanics, African Americans and American Indians or Alaska Natives make up 24 percent of the overall workforce, yet only account for 9 percent of the country’s science and engineering workforce. DOE seeks to inspire underrepresented Americans to pursue careers in energy and support their advancement into leadership positions.

https://www.energy.gov/articles/introducing-minorities-energy-initiative 8 See also. Note that Congress recognized in section 305 of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2017, Public Law 114-329:

(1) [I]t is critical to our Nation’s economic leadership and global competitiveness that the United States educate, train, and retain more scientists, engineers, and computer scientists; (2) there is currently a disconnect between the availability of and growing demand for STEM-skilled workers;

(3) historically, underrepresented populations are the largest untapped STEM talent pools in the United States; and (4) given the shifting demographic landscape, the United States should encourage full participation of individuals from underrepresented populations in STEM fields.

https://news.umich.edu/new-index-ranks-americas-100-most-disadvantaged-communities/ https://news.umich.edu/new-index-ranks-americas-100-most-disadvantaged-communities/ https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf19304/digest/about-this-report https://www.energy.gov/articles/introducing-minorities-energy-initiative subject line.

budget period supported by metrics to measure the success of the proposed actions. This plan will be evaluated as part of the technical review process and incorporated into the award if selected.

Further, Minority Serving Institutions9, Minority Business Enterprises, Minority Owned Businesses, Woman Owned Businesses, Veteran Owned Businesses, or entities located in an underserved community that meet the eligibility requirements (see Section III). are encouraged to apply as the prime applicant or participate on an application as a proposed partner to the prime applicant. The Selection Official may consider the inclusion of these types of entities as part of the selection decision (see Section V.C.i).

v. Teaming Partner List DOE is compiling a Teaming Partner List to facilitate the formation of project teams for this FOA. The Teaming Partner List allows organizations that may wish to participate on a project to express their interest to other applicants and explore potential partnerships.

The Teaming Partner List will be available on EERE eXCHANGE and will be regularly updated to reflect new teaming partners who provide their organization’s information.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: View the Teaming Partner List by visiting the EERE eXCHANGE homepage and clicking on “Teaming Partners” within the left-hand navigation pane. This page allows users to view published Teaming Partner Lists.

To join the Teaming Partner List, submit a request within eXCHANGE. Select the appropriate Teaming Partner List from the drop-down menu, and fill in the following information: Investigator Name, Organization Name, Organization Type, Topic Area, Background and Capabilities, Website, Contact Address, Contact Email, and Contact Phone.

DISCLAIMER: By submitting a request to be included on the Teaming Partner List, the requesting organization consents to the publication of the above-referenced information. By facilitating the Teaming Partner List, DOE is not endorsing, sponsoring, or otherwise evaluating the qualifications of the individuals and organizations that are identifying themselves for placement on this Teaming Partner List. DOE will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it

9 Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Other Minority Institutions as educational entities recognized by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Education, and identified on the OCR's Department of Education U.S. accredited postsecondary minorities’ institution list. See https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html.

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html subject line.

compensate any applicants or requesting organizations for the development of such information.

B. Topic Areas

The section below provides details of each topic area, including descriptions, explanation of needs, and desired outcomes. BTO may choose not to make awards in all areas, and the distribution will depend on the number and quality of proposals received. In all cases, the proposed project structure should include a clear validation and/or demonstration of the capabilities of the product, technology, or approach.

All work under EERE funding agreements must be performed in the United States.

See Section IV.J.iii and Appendix D.

Topic 1: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and Water Heating (WH)

Subtopic 1A: Validations of Components for Systems Approaches to Commercial Boiler Decarbonization

Boilers account for a significant source of on-site emissions in multifamily, commercial buildings, and district systems. In commercial buildings, boilers service space heating needs for approximately 30% of floorspace and account for about 32% of the total energy consumption. The overwhelming majority of commercial boilers are powered by natural gas. For most buildings with a commercial boiler system, achieving decarbonization goals will require strategies for boiler replacement and the electrification of space heating.

Building electrification improvements that involve retrofits of central boiler systems can present complex challenges, including, but not limited to, replacing and retrofitting hydronic systems, designing solutions that overcome space constraints, addressing water heating temperature requirements, cost, contractor training for new technologies, and managing occupant disruption. The issues are magnified for addressing replacements in larger buildings and become more technically challenging in cold climate regions.

The goal of this topic area is to improve the availability, affordability, and simplicity of electrified boiler replacement options, which includes heat pump technologies, through demonstrating and proving the capability of near-market-ready system components. This topic recognizes that a key strategy in addressing any commercial subject line.

boiler replacement begins with assessing building efficiency and envelope improvements for the reduction of overall space heating capacity needs.

Through this topic area, the Building Technologies Office is seeking proposals to demonstrate electrified commercial building boiler component technologies that address one or more of the following technical challenge areas:

• Overcoming space constraints within the building and grounds limiting current drop-in electric boiler systems, heat pump systems, and comprehensive systems requiring piping replacements;

• Ensuring performance needs are met in cold climates by leveraging capacity through supplemental electric systems;

• Integration with thermal energy networks, such as geothermal and energy storage, for designing heat pump heating systems for large buildings and campuses;

• Overcoming high water temperature requirements by adapting existing systems to operate at lower temperatures;

• Integrated retrofits that upgrade heating and cooling systems, including variable refrigerant flow systems;

• Strategies to balance efficiency improvements with new electric equipment that may require electric infrastructure upgrades to account for increased building loads;

• Analysis of installed systems that have experienced operational challenges.

Across these technical challenge areas, applications will need to show significant improvements across one or more of the following metrics:

• Boiler System Efficiency which includes the combination of generation plant efficiency, water storage heat loss, and building distribution heat loss;

• Reduction in Green House Gas Emissions;

• System Size Footprint or weight;

• Electric Peak Load Reduction;

• Occupant Disruption Times.

Subtopic 1B: Performance and cost improvement for cooling in high humidity climates

This subtopic focus is on improving performance and reducing costs (both in products and installation) to address equitable cooling solutions and increase market penetration in high humidity climates. The goal is to substantially increase market adoption for these high humidity climate cooling products in underserved low- and moderate-income communities. The equipment’s performance must be significantly better than current equipment standards and have a substantially lower first cost price point.

This topic focus is on technologies, components, and approaches which directly target latent heat to:

• Improve cooling and dehumidification technology;

• Utilize refrigerants with less than or equal to 150 global warming potential

(GWP) and ideally with GWP < 10;

• Improve cooling product efficiency by 2x - 4x over current commercial equipment;

• Design cooling solution form factors to fit into current retrofit and new construction market conditions;

• Consider both unitized and/or modular system configurations.

Goal/Target Outcomes

Affordability: Installed cost to consumers must demonstrate ≥ 25% reduction in first cost over current comparable form factor systems (100,000 unit manufacturing scale)

Performance: For indoor conditions, demonstrate that the cooling solution maintains at least a 27°C dry bulb temperature and a 50% RH (or lower for both).

Refrigerant: Demonstrate reliable operation with low GWP refrigerant. Preference is for working fluid GWP < 10

Energy Usage: Power draw is 2x-4x lower than current energy efficient class of commercialized products

Product: Define viable form factors and detail productization pathway, including final market cost analysis

Explanation of Need

Projections show a huge increase in demand for space cooling and dehumidification.

For example, globally there is an expected increase in room air-conditioning units from 1.2 billion units to 4.5 billion units by 2050. There is a large need to significantly lower cooling equipment’s installed cost and power draw as well as improve dehumidification efficiencies while maintaining occupant comfort. These improvements support cooling resilience initiatives.

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Subtopic 1C: Overcoming barriers for high efficiency refrigerants with GWP < 10 Description

Refrigerants play a fundamental role in the performance and efficiency of heat pumps. This subtopic will focus on the development of vapor compression HVAC heat pump (HP) and heat-pump water heater (HPWH) systems that enable the utilization of refrigerants with a GWP < 10. This topic allows for a range of commercial and residential focused solutions including but not limited to:

• Optimizing system designs;

• Incorporating high-efficiency compressors, heat exchangers, and expansion systems;

• Utilizing advanced control algorithms;

• Target 1.5x to 2x improvement over current state-of-the-art (SOTA) HPs in both capacity and efficiency operating across a broad range of conditions;

• Result in commercialized products that are cost competitive with current market products;

• Produce product introduction plan for fully functional commercialized products in 2029.

Explanation of Need

Heat pump products need to transition to refrigerants with a GWP < 10. There is a need to advance heat pump systems to reliably provide cost effective user comfort, deliver high efficiency performance, and provide low maintenance. Investing in the equipment research will better enable the transition and help alleviate concerns with new product market adoption and cost.

Subtopic 1D: Design and performance evaluation for secondary loop heat pumps with GWP < 10

This subtopic will focus on air to water heat pumps utilizing GWP < 10 refrigerants.

These air to water heat pumps require developing compatible system and component level solutions. It is necessary to validate that these new residential and commercial air source heat pumps are coefficient of performance (COP) competitive with current SOTA air source heat pumps while maintaining other equivalent cost and performance metrics. Solutions should consider identified challenges such as, but not limited to:

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• Develop laboratory testing framework for HP performance evaluation and validation. Protocol should include (but is not limited to) evaluation for thermal and sound performance;

• Heat pump performance, operation, and maintenance variation with different low GWP working fluids;

• Evaluation results provide good insight into actual field operation performance;

• Include hydronic system retrofits.

Goal/Target Outcomes

• Detail the design and performance operating criteria for a Laboratory testing framework that encompasses all viable refrigerants with GWP less than 10;

• Identify code/policy/other refrigerant commercialization barriers and provide detailed solutions;

• Detail technical and test facility considerations for working with mildly flammable to flammable and/or other low GWP refrigerant properties.

Explanation of Need

The marketplace is moving towards low GWP heat pump products and systems. For successful market transformation it is necessary to co-develop policy, performance testing frameworks, utility incentive metrics, etc. This reduces market barriers for the transition and adoption of low GWP equipment. Developing a low GWP refrigerant HP product laboratory performance framework is one element needed for market transformation.

Subtopic 1E: Reducing form factor for medium to high temperature heat pumps in commercial buildings

There are insufficient medium to high temperature hot water heat pumps in the marketplace to provide viable HP solutions for commercial and industrial buildings.

There is a need to invest in the development and commercialization of these systems. Develop new system (vapor compression or other) designs and components with considerations for:

• Focus on building system replacement and retrofit space constraints, ease of Installation, and low maintenance;

• Significantly reduce the form factor from current commercially available heat pumps of an equivalent capacity;

• Maintain SOTA system performance and cost competitiveness;

• Develop HP solutions that can produce 180F hot water at high volumes for commercial building heating;

• Develop HP solutions that can produce up to 250F steam for low pressure district and building steam systems;

• Target product commercialization solutions rather than custom manufacturing solutions;

• Propose viable and cost-efficient solutions for HP system integration given building space and weight limitations.

Explanation of Need

Boiler system driven commercial building hot water and space heating are a significant source of onsite emissions. In commercial buildings, boilers account for 32% of total energy consumption and their footprint consumes approximately 30% of floorspace. Currently the marketplace offers very limited electric driven high efficiency replacement systems. There is a large need to develop product options which provide superior operating efficiencies, reduce emissions, and reliably function in constrained spaces.

Topic 2: Innovative, Replicable, and Low-Cost Roof and Attic Retrofits

Problem Statement

Before weatherization and energy efficiency programs can improve home performance via air-sealing and insulation, the structural integrity of the building’s shell must be assessed and verified to meet basic building code and livability standards. Stakeholders have provided feedback that the cost of repairing unforeseen structural and integrity issues, particularly in roofs and/or attics of affordable housing, uses up a substantial portion of the retrofit budget that would otherwise go towards improving energy efficiency, IAQ, and comfort. Low-cost solutions are needed for roof and/or attic retrofits that can be deployable through weatherization assistance programs, community action agencies, and other retrofit contractors supporting energy retrofits of LMI households.

Description

To meet the scale of envelope retrofits required to meet decarbonization goals, envelope retrofit techniques need to be made more affordable, which will also help address the administration’s energy equity goals. BTO is seeking novel approaches and/or technologies for low-cost roof and attic retrofits that specifically address subject line.

challenges facing affordable housing portfolios (both multi-family and single-family housing are in scope). The solution(s) must improve energy efficiency while simultaneously providing durable protection against air, moisture, and water infiltration of the building shell. BTO seeks demonstrated process or technology solutions to lower the costs of (a) roof retrofits and/or (b) attic retrofits and address barriers to equitable uptake of these envelope energy efficiency improvements, especially in multifamily and low-income housing.

BTO seeks demonstrated process or technology innovations to reduce both the production and installation costs of residential roof and attic retrofits that improve thermal comfort. Examples include, but are not limited to:

1. Novel solutions that can drastically reduce the demolition and reconstruction required to implement energy upgrades in roofs and/or attics (i.e., less disruption).

2. Low-cost, high R/in value materials/products specifically geared for reroofing applications (ideally with similar form factors and installation practices currently used in the workforce).

3. Low-cost, high R/in value insulations specifically designed for blown-in attic insulation.

4. Low cost, durable, and high albedo (solar reflectance) roofing materials.

5. Roof and/or attic air sealing strategies that improve installation simplicity, quality, and consistency.

6. Automated auditing technologies that reduce diagnostic and customer acquisition costs

7. Advanced construction for roof retrofits that integrate multiple control layers for air, water, vapor, and thermal as well as structural functions with fewer layers and components.

8. Novel roof and/or attic configurations and technology solutions that influence the building’s dynamic thermal response for enhanced thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and resilience (e.g., peak temperature reduction, shifts in peak load times, and moderating seasonal energy demands).

Solutions should be developed and demonstrated in a lab or field environment.

Preference will be given to applicants that can demonstrate partnership or stakeholder engagement with local weatherization or energy efficiency programs that can test and validate the application, outcomes, and the potential of scalability in low- and medium-income (LMI) housing.

Goal/Target Outcomes

BTO is seeking solutions that reduce upfront cost while also reducing HVAC energy consumption. Teams should quantify the installed cost ($/ft2), time (speed of install), and performance of the proposed solution in their proposal. BTO is seeking subject line.

solutions that target a 25% or greater reduction in HVAC energy consumption with a simple payback period of 5 years of less. Proposals should include supporting material that justifies energy savings and simple payback assertions.

Topic 3: Building Resilience and Electricity Capacity Constraints

Subtopic 3A: Behind-the-meter electrical systems for building resilience and peak load management

In aggregate, widespread electrification of major building end uses is key to achieving deep decarbonization of the U.S. building stock, but the capacity of existing electrical infrastructure can uniquely constrain upgrades in certain buildings or localities. Such constraints exist at both the building and the grid level, and innovative solutions can have considerable bearing on both the cost of electrification and the resilience of buildings and the grid. This topic seeks novel innovations that reduce the need for major infrastructure upgrades triggered by the electrification of building end uses (including HVAC, water heating, EV charging, stoves, and dryers).