ABC Solutions in the News
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Energy Secretary Granholm visits Oak Ridge National Laboratory on October 24, 2022, to learn about the lab’s plans for the second phase of its ABC retrofit project. ORNL’s Diana Hun gives a live demonstration of the Real-Time Evaluator tool, which will provide instant feedback to installers on how to position prefabricated panels for siding retrofits. ORNL plans to use the easy-to-install panel design and state-of-the-art integrated system that includes heat pumps, energy recovery units, heat pump water heaters, and sensors and controls, in up to 12 duplexes in the Western Heights affordable housing community, as well as a local Boys and Girls Club.
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ORNL
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ORNL’s Diana Hun demos the lab’s Real Time Evaluator Tool to HUD Secretary Fudge at HUD’s Innovative Housing Showcase held on the National Mall in Washington, DC, in June 2023.
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HUD
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HUD Secretary Fudge gets an up-close look at ORNL’s Autonomous Spray Foam Installer at HUD’s Innovative Housing Showcase held on the National Mall in Washington, DC, in June 2023. The autonomous system aims to increase safety, improve quality, reduce waste, and lower installation cost of insulation.
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ORNL
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ORNL’s ABC project, “On-Demand, Pressure-Triggered Sealant for Prefab Building Construction,” is named a 2023 R&D 100 Awards finalist by R&D World magazine.
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R&D World
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Energy Secretary Granholm visits Oak Ridge National Laboratory on October 24, 2022, to learn about the lab’s plans for the second phase of its ABC retrofit project. ORNL’s Diana Hun gives a live demonstration of the Real-Time Evaluator tool, which will provide instant feedback to installers on how to position prefabricated panels for siding retrofits. ORNL plans to use the easy-to-install panel design and state-of-the-art integrated system that includes heat pumps, energy recovery units, heat pump water heaters, and sensors and controls, in up to 12 duplexes in the Western Heights affordable housing community, as well as a local Boys and Girls Club.
Credit
ORNL
Energy Secretary Granholm visits Oak Ridge National Laboratory on October 24, 2022, to learn about the lab’s plans for the second phase of its ABC retrofit project. ORNL’s Diana Hun gives a live demonstration of the Real-Time Evaluator tool, which will provide instant feedback to installers on how to position prefabricated panels for siding retrofits. ORNL plans to use the easy-to-install panel design and state-of-the-art integrated system that includes heat pumps, energy recovery units, heat pump water heaters, and sensors and controls, in up to 12 duplexes in the Western Heights affordable housing community, as well as a local Boys and Girls Club.
ORNL
April 30, 2025
The Advanced Building Construction (ABC) Initiative integrates energy efficiency solutions into highly productive U.S. construction practices for new buildings and retrofits.
What is ABC?
Learn about BTO's efforts to develop energy-efficiency technologies and modernize U.S. construction and renovation practices.
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ABC in Action
- View the full list of DOE-funded ABC Projects.
- Our featured ABC Project Spotlights are a great way to see the impact and practical applications of the DOE-funded projects.
- Check out our Technical Assistance Success Stories to learn how DOE is helping enhance the performance, productivity, and energy efficiency of industrialized construction projects.
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Investing in innovative technologies and engaging diverse building industry stakeholders to create market-viable solutions -
Research organizations and reports that informed establishment of the ABC Initiative -
The ABC Initiative integrates energy-efficiency solutions into highly productive U.S. construction practices for new buildings and retrofits.
The Department of Energy’s Advanced Building Construction (ABC) Initiative integrates energy efficiency solutions into highly productive U.S. construction practices for new buildings and retrofits. Watch this video to learn more about how the ABC Initiative is helping deliver affordable, appealing, high-performance, low-carbon new buildings and retrofits at scale. Text version of the video.
U.S. Department of Energy
ABC News, Blogs, and Updates
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Industrialized Construction Projects Show Promise for Delivering High-Performance Buildings at ScaleProjects related to BTO’s Advanced Building Construction (ABC) Initiative use innovative solutions that could drastically increase the speed and scale of delivering high-performance, resilient buildings.January 16, 2025
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Decarbonizing our nation’s building stock by 2050 to help avoid a climate catastrophe—and also address a growing affordable housing crisis—is not going to be easy.February 28, 2024
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As much of the country hunkers down for a cold winter, we recall a warmer time from this past August when buildings experts and thought leaders convened at the ACEEE’s biennial Summer Study on Energy Efficient Buildings.January 5, 2023
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DOE is awarding $31.8 million for seven project teams that will demonstrate how advanced construction techniques integrated with energy efficient technologies and practices can seed the next generation of building retrofit solutions.March 14, 2022
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Seven Awardees to Demonstrate Fast, Cheap, and Low Carbon Building Renovation and Construction Techniques in Low-Income Communities Across the U.S.March 14, 2022
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Affordable, appealing, convenient, low-carbon, and energy efficient—this is the Advanced Building Construction (ABC) Initiative’s vision for new and modernized existing buildings.February 24, 2022
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DOE announces its intent to issue a funding opportunity for Advanced Building ConstructionJuly 16, 2021
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A new recruiting tool funded by the Building Technologies Office offers job seekers hundreds of options to obtain and advance careers in the energy-efficient buildings industry.May 6, 2021
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BTO envisions a modernized U.S. construction industry that delivers high-performance, zero-carbon new buildings and retrofits at scale.March 8, 2021
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Webinars exploring the frameworks and techniques researchers use to evaluate the energy use of buildings over their entire lifespans.December 7, 2020
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BTO awarded $26.3 million to 40 competitively selected projects to pursue innovations that can advance the goals of the ABC Initiative.February 10, 2020
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With more than 90% of our lives spent indoors, buildings have a big impact on the quality of our lives.January 28, 2020
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BTO researches, develops, and validates building technologies that are helping the United States achieve a clean and affordable energy future.September 18, 2019
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With BTO and AMO funding, ORNL developed the technology to manufacture the precast concrete panels that make up the façade of the Domino Sugar Site AMarch 13, 2019
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This is the first article in a new web series on one of the Building Technologies Office’s new initiatives: Advanced Building Construction.August 15, 2019
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Funding Opportunity Announcement aims to develop deep energy retrofit and new construction technologies.May 3, 2019
Updates
Sign up to receive ABC Initiative news, events, and funding opportunities. Contact us at abc@ee.doe.gov