The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced awards totaling $137 million for small businesses in 30 states. The 120 projects include projects addressing multiple priorities across the Department, such as clean energy, cybersecurity, high-energy physics, and nuclear nonproliferation.  

American small business plays a critical role in facilitating the transition from discovery to innovation, helping to create a bridge between the laboratory and the commercial marketplace. DOE Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards strive to transform DOE-supported science and technology breakthroughs into viable products and services. The awards also support the development of specialized technologies and instruments that aid in scientific discovery.

The Building Technologies Office is funding seven SBIR Phase II projects, totaling $7.9 million. Information on the DOE SBIR and STTR programs is available on the Office of Science SBIR/STTR website.

  1. “A Grid-Interactive Modulating Air Distribution Manifold”
    Topic C52-13c: Advanced Building Equipment Technologies
    IBACOS Inc. of Pittsburgh is developing a residential HVAC system to achieve more effective room-level zoning at a lower cost than conventional zoning systems. Most homes have no zone-level air conditioning. This product will save energy, improve occupant comfort, and enable better demand response operation of buildings. 
  2. “High Payoff 3D-Printed Ceramic Heat Exchangers for HVAC”
    Topic C52-20c: Nonmetallic Heat Exchangers
    Technology Assessment & Transfer Inc. of Annapolis, Maryland, is creating a lightweight compact additive manufactured (AM) alumina ceramic heat exchanger. The ceramic heat exchanger has exceptional heat transfer properties for a broad spectrum of residential and industrial air to refrigerant HVAC applications. It will produce substantial energy savings in residential and commercial heat pumps and air conditioners.
  3. “Microprinting Waveguides for Ultra-Thin and Flexible LED Lighting Panels”
    Topic C50-8d: Novel Materials & Processes for SSL
    SVV Technology Innovations, Inc. of Sacramento, California, will develop a new microprinting approach for manufacturing large-area, glare-free, flexible lighting panels using high-efficiency light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and inexpensive plastic sheets. These panels will have many of the attributes of OLEDs (thin, flexible, diffuse light), but offer high brightness, and greater efficiency at a lower cost. The conceived large area, flexible, and diffuse emitting luminaire will provide lighting designers with high-performance panels with a novel form factor.
  4. “Lossless Beam-Width Adjustment with Low-Cost Mechanics”
    Topic C52-12c: Solid-State Lighting Technologies
    Glint Photonics Inc. of Burlingame, California, will demonstrate energy savings through improved light utilization efficiency using solid-state lighting. Current lighting products do not take advantage of the beam steering, broadening, and shaping that are enabled by solid-state lighting. The improved light control will enable more efficient lighting with reduced numbers of installed luminaires. These new products will save energy, reduce waste, and improve occupant well-being.
  5. “Innovative Aerogel Production for Low-Cost and High-R Insulation”
    Topic C52-13b: Low-Cost, High-R Insulation
    Optowares Inc. of Woburn, Massachusetts, will improve the R-insulation value and cost of AP-dried pDCPD aerogel products while developing suitable products for commercial applications and faster, scalable, and recyclable manufacturing techniques. Low-cost and high-R factor insulation materials will make envelope retrofits of existing buildings much more feasible and accessible.
  6. “Easy Does IT - Automated Model Input for Building MPC”
    Topic C52-12B: Building Energy Modeling
    Community Energy Labs LLC of Portland, Oregon, is leveraging existing work to bring MPC-enabled load management to medium-sized public buildings. Medium-sized public buildings, including schools, typically have the thermal mass and systems to implement load shifting and avoid demand charges but also typically lack the capital to implement such strategies. CEL will develop an end-to-end system and deploy it in 700 school districts in California, Oregon, and Washington.
  7. “Product Development and Building Science Research Supporting Commercialization of the Low-Cost Flow Sensor
    Communication Infrastructure to Unleash Potential Benefits”

    Topic C52-12e.1: Healthy Efficient Buildings
    Ventamatic of Mineral Wells, Texas, will develop two prototype sensor-driven home ventilation products that will transform the residential ventilation industry. Ventilation systems often deliver insufficient airflow. This technology will improve the cost, ease consumer installation, and enhance residential monitoring.