ETA 2021 Strategic Plan - Flipbook - Page 43
Building Technology
& Urban Systems Division
The Building Technology and Urban Systems
(BTUS) Division works closely with industry,
government, and policymakers. BTUS informs
and develops technology and systems that are
decarbonized, grid-interactive, efficient, and
resilient, and meet the needs of their occupants
and communities equitably. The Division
engages in innovative and creative research
to advance these goals. Its work in the built
environment addresses some of the world’s
most critical carbon mitigation and adaptation
challenges. BTUS supports the top priorities of
the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Building
Technologies Office and other sponsors by
organizing itself into Departments that address
building technology, whole building systems, and
building and industrial applications.
Research Objectives
• Grid-interactive efficient building
technologies to support the changing
electric grid
• Information technologies for benchmarking
building performance and support of realtime monitoring and control of buildings
• Advanced lighting, windows, daylighting
systems, cool roofs, and walls
• Software for energy-efficient buildings
and communities modeling, design, and
operation
Whole Building Systems Department
Building Technology Department
Work in the Building Technology Department
focuses on electronics, lighting, and networks;
simulation research; and windows, envelopes,
and façades. In addition, researchers analyze
how the combination of vehicle technology,
land-use patterns, and driving behavior affect
energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,
and criteria pollutant emissions in the transport
sector. Researchers in the Building Technology
Department work to develop novel solutions
to save time and money and to improve
infrastructure. Combining these technology
competencies with robust simulation research
enables teams to develop methods, models,
and software for virtual prototyping of building
technologies and systems. These tools are
used to evaluate and optimize building system
performance, reduce building energy use and
carbon intensity, and ensure occupant safety
and comfort. Research also includes developing
methods to evaluate demand flexibility in
buildings and to communicate digital tariffs
for grid responsiveness. Similarly, the Building
Technology Department develops and evaluates
predictive controls to support multi-objective
optimization that considers factors such as
GHG signals, prices, comfort, and occupancy.
These projects explore how to integrate building
technologies with distributed energy resources
such as photovoltaics (PVs), electric vehicles
(EVs), and thermal or electric storage.
Whole Building Systems researchers work
on problems associated with whole building
integration involving modeling, measurement,
design, and operation. This research area
includes a core focus on the movement of
air and associated energy and indoor air
quality (IAQ) issues. It includes optimization
and de-risking of existing technologies, and
the development of new solutions to energy
and IAQ problems such as smart ventilation
strategies and technologies and viral fate and
transport of airborne pathogens. Researchers
in Whole Building Systems explore methods to
ensure that leading edge technologies, design,
and operations practices are integrated into
both commercial and residential buildings for
energy-efficient performance. Fault diagnostics,
automated control optimization, and analytics
software technologies (energy management and
information systems) are core areas of expertise.
Whole Building Systems researchers evaluate
the links between energy risk and building
valuation and explore how to overcome barriers
to scaled adoption of energy efficiency. They
also focus on: integrating control and diagnostic
capabilities; solutions for smaller buildings
and the role of artificial intelligence in scaling;
incorporation of distributed energy resources,
grid interactivity, and carbon minimization; and
algorithm development and performance testing
methods. Related is research to advance endto-end system integration and interoperability
at the device, system, building, and aggregated
building levels.
• Technologies, technology assessments, and
best practices for efficient industrial and
high-technology buildings and data centers
• Technical assistance to federal, state, and
local governments in efficient buildings
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