IMPEL Lab Innovation teams and mentors at the first IMPEL Training event at the Energy Exchange in Cleveland, August 2018.

IMPEL Lab Innovation teams and mentors at the first IMPEL Training event at the Energy Exchange in Cleveland, August 2018.  Left to right: Gayathri Eranki (LBNL), Benson Chen and Renil Paramel (Strategy of Things), Mary Hubbard (DOE program lead), Chris Mather (Leveragent), Diana Hun (ORNL), John Dierkes (Schneider), Walt Vernon (Mazzetti), Howdy Goudey (LBNL), Harry Bergmann (DOE), Baptiste Ravache (LBNL), Nora Wang (PNNL), Dale Sartor (LBNL), Reshma Singh (LBNL program lead), Dane Christensen (NREL), Mark Borkum (PNNL)

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Five Lab Innovation Teams, chosen and assembled from the ranks of the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Lab family, successfully finished the 2018-2019 "Incubating Market-Propelled Entrepreneurial-mindset at the Labs” (IMPEL) program. IMPEL is an eight-month, professional development program funded by the Building Technologies Office (BTO), within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and implemented by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. IMPEL provides promising scientists with mentorship from building industry professionals, monthly expert webinars, and pitch coaching from Silicon Valley specialists.

Man speaking at conference.
Woman speaking at a conference.

IMPEL Mentor Renil Paramel and PNNL’s Nora Wang of the Unique Building Identification team at the IMPEL Training event at the Energy Exchange in Cleveland, August 2018.

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Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory teams were comprised of Robert Hart and Howdy Goudey on High-R Windows and Baptiste Ravache on the DEPICT urban energy tool. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory team of Dane Christensen and Xin Jin focused on their award-winning Foresee home automation system, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s team of Diana Hun and Tomonori Saito worked on a self-healing sealant project. And finally, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory team of Nora Wang, Mark Borkum and Harry Bergmann worked on UBID, or Universal Building Identification.

IMPEL integrates market-oriented skillsets with the advanced scientific thinking at the national labs. IMPEL focuses on matching early-stage, building technology research and development activities with the gaps, barriers, and other challenges that are observed in industry and the marketplace to catalyze private sector engagement and impact.

BTO congratulates this year’s class on successfully completing the IMPEL program. The emerging leaders of the IMPEL program are developing the skills and sophistication to explain the merits of their work to private and public sector decision-makers. 

For more information about IMPEL and how to apply, visit the IMPEL website. For more information about the BTO fellowship program, please visit the EERE Science, Technology and Policy Program website or here for open opportunities.

About IMPEL: https://impel.lbl.gov/