The Building Technologies Office is funding projects to develop training and educational resources to equip and expand the workforce delivering energy-saving building technologies, systems, and practices. Through funding opportunities that include the Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT), Education Materials for Professional Organizations Working on Efficiency and Renewable Energy Developments (EMPOWERED), and the Advanced Building Construction with Energy-Efficient Technologies & Practices (ABC) solicitations, the following projects will collectively increase the quantity, quality, diversity, and productivity of today’s building efficiency workforce, and drive the adoption of high-performance buildings technologies and systems nationwide.
- ALASKA HOUSING FINANCE CORP. – Building Monitoring and Energy-Efficiency Training for Small and Mid-Sized Commercial Buildings in Non-Urbanized Areas of Alaska ($348,000)
The objective of this project is to improve building efficiency in Alaska through a cost-effective and scalable hands-on building monitoring training based on region-specific concerns.
- ASSOCIATION OF ENERGY SERVICES PROFESSIONALS – Flexible Load Adaptation Training (FLAT) for Energy Services Professionals ($724,991)
This project will enable clean energy and energy-efficiency professionals to grow their understanding and capabilities with new grid-interactive energy technologies (i.e., demand flexible loads) through a series of accredited online courses utilizing the latest advancements in eLearning technology, including virtual reality and artificial intelligence-driven instructional design.
- CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK – Data-Driven Commercial Building Energy Efficiency and Technology Inventory for New York City ($499,885)
The objective of this project is to further understanding of how actual large commercial and institutional building energy performance can be measured and predicted using empirical and building automation data.
- CONFLUENCE COMMUNICATIONS - Advancing Energy Efficiency through Workforce Training ($499,000)
This project leverages existing content and infrastructure developed by the Building Technologies Office—specifically the Building America Solution Center (BASC) and the Building Science Education Solution Center (BSESC)—to provide drop-in educational modules for construction-related workforce initiatives.
- FRONTIER ENERGY INC. – PATHS: Career Pathways to Advance the Trades in HVAC Services ($700,000)
PATHS will provide ongoing education about quality HVAC services, different curricula to train students in HVAC installation and maintenance techniques and teach them about the benefits of energy-efficient HVAC products and services.
- INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR APPROPRIATE AND SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY – Training the Next Generation of Heat Pump HVAC Technicians ($700,000)
The project objective is to create an advanced curriculum to train HVAC technicians in the design, installation, and maintenance of cold climate air source heat pumps (ccASHP) in existing residential and small commercial buildings; develop an experienced pool of HVAC technicians trained in the latest heat pump HVAC technologies (primarily ccASHP); and disseminate findings to enable replication and scaling.
- INTERSTATE RENEWABLE ENERGY COUNCIL – Dynamic and Responsive Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Educational Solutions for Building, Fire, and Safety Department Officials ($2,100,000)
The team will develop, launch, and widely promote educational solutions for safety officials on solar, energy storage systems (ESS), electric/alternative vehicles (EV/AFV), and grid-interactive efficient building (GEB) technologies.
- INTERSTATE RENEWABLE ENERGY COUNCIL – Supporting the Growth of a Skilled Workforce in the Building Energy-Efficiency Industry ($500,000)
IREC and its partners will reach a large, diverse cohort of stakeholders with information about the breadth and range of rewarding career opportunities in the energy-efficiency sectors by demonstrating career pathways with an engaging, interactive career map and conducting strategic outreach to foster a talent pipeline for the energy-efficiency industry, which includes low-income and other vulnerable populations.
- LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE – Western States Building Energy and Controls Apprenticeship (BECA) Program ($499,844)
To help satisfy demand for skilled and “future-focused” workers under the DOE ABC program, Lane Community College (LCC) and the University of Oregon (UO) will partner to establish a new workforce development pipeline intended to increase throughput of highly qualified graduates with hands-on experience in improving building energy efficiency.
- MIDWEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY ALLIANCE – The Continuum from Energy Standards to Advanced Technologies – A New Approach to Training ($500,000)
This project will design and develop a statewide training and education program to support workforce development and the adoption of energy-efficiency technologies in residential and commercial buildings.
- MOMENTUM INNOVATION GROUP LLC – Construction Methodology Transformation for the Benefit of Workforce Development ($787,343)
Momentum Innovation Group LLC will create a Workforce Development Platform to allow individuals entering the building workforce to access training content and job opportunities.
- NEW BUILDINGS INSTITUTE – High-Efficiency Electrification Technology Training ($500,000)
This project will provide resources and education for design and construction professionals to understand and implement practices in electrification space and water heating technology design and installation to ensure a quickly decarbonizing building stock.
- NEW MEXICO ENERGY, MINERALS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT – Sustainable Education for Advanced Buildings ($750,000)
New Mexico’s Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department will create, develop, and deliver unique New Mexico Energy Conservation Code and International Energy Conservation Code and related above-code training modules.
- NEWPORT PARTNERS – Next Generation Energy Training ($491,870)
This project will deliver an interactive and highly visual training curriculum with actionable information about advanced energy technologies, building science, and design and construction insights.
- NORTHEAST ENERGY EFFICIENCY PARTNERSHIPS – Prefabricated Construction: Guidance, Technical Assistance, and Virtual Inspections ($358,245)
The overarching goal of this project is to support increased adoption of advanced building construction practices, specifically investigating how prefabricated construction and virtual building inspections can lead to energy and cost savings and related environmental benefits while revitalizing the industry and optimizing affordability in regional construction markets.
- NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY – Building Operators: Grid and Occupant (BOGO) Training ($750,000)
The project will develop and demonstrate the value of a formal 14-hour supplemental curriculum to the Building Operators Certification Fundamentals program for pre-entry-level building operators that improves their literacy of grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEB) and occupant-centric control (OCC).
- PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY – Educational Consortium for Energy-Related Data Science and Computation in Building Engineering Programs ($680,000)
Pennsylvania State University will create a multi-institution consortium to develop building engineering curricula, including fundamental skills in programming and data science and training in the use of modeling technologies such as EnergyPlus and Modelica.
- SOUTHEAST ENERGY EFFICIENCY ALLIANCE – Advanced Energy Ready Workforce Southeast ($500,000)
This project will create a training model to increase access to relevant information and technical assistance for identified technologies for the building workforce in Virginia and Florida. It will use training and industry assessment to develop transferable training models and resources for four specific advanced electric building technologies: air source heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, electric vehicle charging, and battery storage.
- UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS – Community College Energy-Efficiency Training Program ($400,000)
The overarching goal of this project is to prepare a new generation of energy professionals that will enable widespread adoption of energy efficiency in new construction and existing buildings.
- WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY – Developing Curricula for Comprehensive Design and Construction of High-Performing Energy-Efficient Residential Buildings in Washington State ($749,080)
The project objective is to develop course content to address identified competency gaps, with a primary goal of providing students the comprehensive skills necessary for design and construction of high-performance, energy-efficient residential buildings.
- Information on current EMPOWERED projects – Education Materials for Professional Organizations Working on Efficiency and Renewable Energy Developments (EMPOWERED)