Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001518
The Department of Energy (DOE), through its Commercial Buildings Integration (CBI) program and in cooperation with the General Services Administration (GSA) Green Proving Ground program, offered this competitive funding opportunity to accelerate real-world demonstrations of next-generation commercial building energy efficiency solutions. The central goal is to move beyond lab work and simulation results by funding on-the-ground projects in actual buildings that prove how bundled, multi-system efficiency packages perform under real operating conditions. DOE’s broader intent is to reduce risk for the market, build confidence in emerging and underused technologies, and help efficiency programs scale faster and more consistently across the country.
This opportunity focuses on “building efficiency packages,” meaning groups of technologies that collectively improve performance across at least two building systems rather than relying on a single upgrade. The systems of interest span the major energy drivers in commercial buildings, including the building envelope, lighting and electrical systems, plug loads, process loads, heating, ventilation, and cooling, refrigeration, energy management and information systems, and sensors and controls. By encouraging integrated packages instead of isolated measures, DOE is aiming for larger and more reliable energy savings, better interactions between systems (for example, how lighting changes affect cooling loads), and more practical pathways for replicable retrofits.
A key feature of the FOA is the emphasis on assembling “dynamic demonstration teams” that reflect the real ecosystem needed to deploy energy efficiency at scale. DOE sought collaborations that include energy organizations (such as states, local governments, or Regional Energy Efficiency Organizations), efficient building hubs (for example, innovation or incubator hubs), utilities, and building energy modeling professionals. The idea is that demonstrations should not only validate technology performance, but also build working relationships among the organizations that influence building upgrades, utility incentive structures, and market adoption.
Another major pillar of the funding is evaluation, measurement, and verification (EMV). DOE explicitly tied the demonstrations to rigorous performance validation using existing DOE tools and resources. The EMV work is intended to (1) identify which multi-system packages deliver the highest impact, (2) develop preliminary savings calculations that can support program design and decision-making, (3) collect and analyze real building data to verify performance while accounting for practical market factors, and (4) support greater consistency in how energy efficiency programs quantify savings and compare measures across regions. In practical terms, this means projects are expected to produce credible, data-backed results that utilities and program administrators can use when considering new or expanded energy efficiency offerings.
From a funding and award structure standpoint, DOE planned to invest a total of about $6.5 million through cooperative agreements, with an anticipated 15 awards. The listed award ceiling was $700,000 per project. Because the instrument type is a cooperative agreement, recipients should generally expect substantial federal involvement compared with a standard grant, such as more active DOE engagement in project direction, reporting, and coordination to ensure results are usable and aligned with program goals.
Eligibility was broad and included many common public, private, and nonprofit entities that participate in building efficiency initiatives. Eligible applicants included state, county, and city or township governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and certain tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (including small businesses); and individuals, with an “other” category subject to clarification in the full announcement.
The opportunity was administered by the DOE Golden Field Office and posted under Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001518, CFDA 81.086, within the Energy funding activity category. Key dates included concept papers due November 21, 2016 (5:00 PM Eastern) and full applications due February 21, 2017 (5:00 PM Eastern). Applications were required to be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE system, which required prior registration and account setup. The full announcement, submission instructions, and contact pathways for both technical questions and submission issues were provided through the EERE eXCHANGE posting.Apply for DE FOA 0001518
- The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Scaling Up the Next Generation of Building Efficiency Packages" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.086.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 19, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 21, 2017 Concept Papers due 11/21/2016 at 500 PM EST Full Applications due 02/21/2017 at 500 PM EST Please see full announcement details at https://eere- exchange.energy.gov. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $700,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is this funding opportunity trying to accomplish?
This Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity is designed to speed up real-world demonstrations of next-generation commercial building energy efficiency solutions. The intent is to move beyond lab testing and simulations by paying for on-the-ground projects in actual buildings, so the market can see how bundled, multi-system efficiency packages perform under real operating conditions.
2. Which DOE programs are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was offered through DOE's Commercial Buildings Integration (CBI) program, in cooperation with the General Services Administration (GSA) Green Proving Ground program.
3. What does DOE mean by "building efficiency packages"?
"Building efficiency packages" are groups of technologies that improve performance across at least two building systems. The focus is on integrated packages rather than a single isolated upgrade, with the goal of achieving larger and more reliable energy savings and improving how systems work together.
4. Does a project need to include more than one building system to qualify?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes multi-system packages that improve performance across at least two building systems, not single-measure upgrades.
5. What building systems are included in the scope of this FOA?
The FOA identifies major energy drivers in commercial buildings, including: the building envelope; lighting and electrical systems; plug loads; process loads; heating, ventilation, and cooling; refrigeration; energy management and information systems; and sensors and controls.
6. Why is DOE emphasizing integrated packages instead of isolated measures?
DOE is aiming for larger, more reliable energy savings and better system interactions (for example, how lighting changes affect cooling loads). Integrated packages are also intended to create more practical, replicable retrofit pathways.
7. What is meant by "real-world demonstrations" in this context?
Real-world demonstrations are projects implemented in actual buildings that generate evidence of performance under real operating conditions, rather than relying only on lab work and simulation results.
8. What is a "dynamic demonstration team"?
A dynamic demonstration team is a collaboration structured to reflect the real ecosystem needed to deploy energy efficiency at scale. DOE sought teams that go beyond technology demonstration and include organizations involved in upgrades, incentives, market adoption, and performance validation.
9. Who did DOE encourage teams to include?
DOE encouraged collaborations that include energy organizations (such as states, local governments, or Regional Energy Efficiency Organizations), efficient building hubs (such as innovation or incubator hubs), utilities, and building energy modeling professionals.
10. What role do utilities and energy organizations play in these demonstrations?
The FOA indicates that demonstrations should help build working relationships among organizations that influence building upgrades, utility incentive structures, and broader market adoption, in addition to validating technology performance.
11. What is EMV and why is it important for this opportunity?
EMV stands for evaluation, measurement, and verification. It is a major pillar of the funding because DOE wants rigorous performance validation using real building data, tied to existing DOE tools and resources. EMV is intended to produce credible, data-backed results that can inform utility and program administrator decisions.
12. What are the main goals of the EMV work described in the FOA?
The FOA describes EMV goals as: identifying which multi-system packages deliver the highest impact; developing preliminary savings calculations to support program design and decision-making; collecting and analyzing real building data to verify performance while accounting for practical market factors; and supporting greater consistency in how energy efficiency programs quantify savings and compare measures across regions.
13. What kind of results were projects expected to produce?
Projects were expected to generate credible, data-backed performance results that utilities and efficiency program administrators could use when considering new or expanded energy efficiency offerings.
14. How much total funding was DOE planning to invest?
DOE planned to invest a total of about $6.5 million through this funding opportunity.
15. How many awards were anticipated?
The FOA anticipated approximately 15 awards.
16. What was the maximum award amount per project?
The listed award ceiling was $700,000 per project.
17. What type of funding instrument was used?
Awards were planned as cooperative agreements.
18. How is a cooperative agreement different from a standard grant in this FOA?
The FOA notes that cooperative agreements generally involve substantial federal involvement compared with a standard grant, including more active DOE engagement in project direction, reporting, and coordination to ensure results are usable and aligned with program goals.
19. Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included: state, county, and city or township governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and certain tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (including small businesses); and individuals. The FOA also referenced an "other" category subject to clarification in the full announcement.
20. Which DOE office administered the opportunity?
The opportunity was administered by the DOE Golden Field Office.
21. What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0001518.
22. What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 81.086.
23. What funding activity category was this posted under?
The opportunity was posted within the Energy funding activity category.
24. What were the key due dates?
Concept papers were due November 21, 2016 (5:00 PM Eastern). Full applications were due February 21, 2017 (5:00 PM Eastern).
25. Where were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE system.
26. Did applicants need to register in advance to submit?
Yes. The EERE eXCHANGE system required prior registration and account setup.
27. Where could applicants find the full announcement and official instructions?
The full announcement, submission instructions, and contact pathways for technical questions and submission issues were provided through the EERE eXCHANGE posting for this opportunity.
28. Who should applicants contact for technical or submission questions?
The FOA indicates that contact pathways for both technical questions and submission issues were provided through the EERE eXCHANGE posting.
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