Syracuse University Receives $750,000 From U.S. Department of Energy to Accelerate Innovations for ‘Grid-Interactive’ and Energy-Efficient Buildings

Syracuse University has received a $750,000 award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to accelerate development and commercialization of innovations for “grid-interactive” and energy-efficient buildings. The project is focused on strengthening the regional innovation cluster in Central New York, including resources available through the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) and CenterState CEO. This is one of 10 awards made by DOE’s Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC) and is the only EPIC project focused on building technologies.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated anew, indoor spaces are crucial to the health, comfort and productivity of occupants. At the same time, building operations are responsible for nearly half of the energy used in the U.S. The DOE’s Building Technology Office envisions that a clean-energy future requires innovations for “grid-interactive buildings” (GEBs) that integrate energy generation or storage capabilities and management systems that interact with the regional electrical grid.

Participating companies will receive assistance to develop and commercialize energy hardware innovations for buildings, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, building envelope systems, building-integrated energy generation and harvesting technologies, and building-integrated battery and thermal energy storage systems. Beyond the innovation cluster, the goals of the project are to promote equity and public health in this sector and further the nation’s transition to net-zero carbon emissions.

“This award gives us the opportunity to strengthen and grow the regional cluster of businesses that are developing building technology innovations and products,” says Eric Schiff, interim executive director of SyracuseCoE. “This project supports SyracuseCoE’s mission to catalyze these innovations in New York state.”

Read the full article on Syracuse University's website, here.