Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001532
Apply for DE FOA 0001532
- The DOE-GFO in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Commercial Buildings and Energy Code Field Studies" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.086.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 02, 2016 and posted on Mar 02, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 11, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,800,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Department of Energy (DOE), through its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and the Building Technologies Office (BTO), offered this funding opportunity to support applied research that strengthens building energy code compliance and, as a result, reduces energy use and consumer utility bills. The underlying aim is practical: improve how states, local governments, and market actors understand which parts of energy codes matter most in real buildings, then use that evidence to justify and guide investments in compliance programs. DOE frames this as part of BTOs broader mission to make new and existing buildings more energy efficient, lower national energy demand, and support energy independence and environmental goals.
The main focus of the announcement is the largest topic area: creating and field-testing a methodology to pinpoint which commercial building energy code requirements deliver the biggest cost-effective energy and cost savings when compliance improves. In other words, the work is not simply about measuring whether buildings meet code, but about identifying the specific code measures that create the largest payoff so that limited enforcement and program dollars can be targeted where they will do the most good. DOE expects this methodology to be tested across selected commercial building types and climate zones, with the intent that the approach can later be generalized to all commercial building types in all climate zones.
A key motivation behind this topic is that utilities and other private investors often need a clear, quantified business case before they will fund code support, training, verification, or compliance initiatives. DOE notes that the empirical data needed to support that kind of investment case does not currently exist at the level of detail and credibility required. By producing defensible, real-world savings estimates tied to specific code provisions, the projects funded under this FOA are meant to supply the missing evidence that could unlock broader investment in compliance efforts.
DOE also sets clear success criteria for the commercial methodology work. First, it needs to produce accurate results at a cost that is realistic for states that want to benchmark energy code performance over time. Second, it needs to be scalable and transferable so it can be extrapolated beyond the initial test cases to the full range of commercial buildings and U.S. climate zones. Because state and local agencies often face tight budgets and staffing constraints, DOE anticipates the methodology will be multi-tiered: it should define a minimum level of effort that still yields valid results, while also offering a framework for more detailed and comprehensive assessments when additional resources are available. The broader deliverable is an analytical framework that enables states, local governments, and utilities to quantify how codes and compliance affect actual energy performance, helping them make funding and policy decisions based on measured impacts rather than assumptions.
In addition to the commercial code methodology, the FOA includes two other topic areas. The first expands DOEs existing residential single-family energy code field study methodology to low-rise multifamily buildings, extending field-based compliance measurement into a housing segment that often falls between single-family and larger commercial-style multifamily construction. The second explores the life-cycle impacts of energy codes within municipal building portfolios, which signals interest in understanding longer-term cost and performance outcomes for public buildings, not just near-term energy savings.
Administratively, this was a discretionary funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001532) issued by DOE-GFO under CFDA 81.086, using cooperative agreements as the funding instrument. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full FOA. DOE anticipated making about 6 awards, with an award ceiling of $2,800,000. The opportunity was posted March 2, 2016, and applications were due April 11, 2016. Applications had to be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE portal (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov), which requires applicants to register and create an account, with submission and FOA questions directed through the channels described in the full posting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this DOE funding opportunity about?
This Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity supports applied research intended to strengthen building energy code compliance and, as a result, reduce building energy use and consumer utility bills. It is offered through DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and the Building Technologies Office (BTO).
2) What is the primary goal DOE is trying to achieve?
The practical goal is to improve how states, local governments, and market actors understand which parts of building energy codes matter most in real buildings, and then use that evidence to guide and justify investments in compliance programs. DOE positions this within BTO's broader mission to improve the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings, lower national energy demand, and support energy independence and environmental goals.
3) What is the main topic area in this FOA?
The largest topic area focuses on creating and field-testing a methodology to identify which commercial building energy code requirements deliver the biggest cost-effective energy and cost savings when compliance improves. The emphasis is on pinpointing specific code measures with the largest payoff so limited enforcement and program resources can be targeted effectively.
4) Is this funding just about checking whether buildings meet code?
No. The main commercial-building effort is not simply a pass/fail compliance check. DOE is looking for an approach that ties improved compliance in specific code provisions to defensible, real-world energy and cost savings estimates.
5) Why is DOE emphasizing a methodology that identifies the highest-impact code requirements?
DOE notes that budgets for enforcement and compliance programs are limited. By identifying the code requirements that deliver the largest cost-effective savings, states and local jurisdictions can focus compliance activities where they produce the greatest benefit.
6) What problem is DOE trying to solve for utilities and other private investors?
DOE highlights that utilities and other private investors often need a quantified business case before funding code support activities such as training, verification, or broader compliance initiatives. DOE states that the empirical data needed for that investment case does not currently exist at the level of detail and credibility required, and the FOA is meant to produce that missing evidence.
7) What does DOE expect the commercial methodology to be tested on?
DOE expects the methodology to be field-tested across selected commercial building types and U.S. climate zones. The intent is that the approach can later be generalized to all commercial building types in all climate zones.
8) What success criteria does DOE describe for the commercial methodology work?
DOE describes several success criteria: the approach should produce accurate results; it should do so at a cost that is realistic for states that want to benchmark energy code performance over time; and it must be scalable and transferable so results can be extrapolated beyond initial test cases.
9) Why does DOE expect the methodology to be multi-tiered?
DOE anticipates state and local agencies may face tight budgets and staffing limits. The methodology is expected to define a minimum level of effort that still yields valid results, while also offering a framework for more detailed and comprehensive assessments when additional resources are available.
10) What is the main deliverable DOE is aiming for from the commercial methodology topic?
The broader deliverable is an analytical framework that helps states, local governments, and utilities quantify how energy codes and compliance affect actual energy performance, enabling funding and policy decisions based on measured impacts rather than assumptions.
11) What other topic areas are included besides the commercial methodology?
The FOA includes two additional topic areas: (1) expanding DOE's existing residential single-family energy code field study methodology to low-rise multifamily buildings; and (2) exploring the life-cycle impacts of energy codes within municipal building portfolios.
12) What does the residential-related topic area cover?
It expands DOE's existing residential single-family energy code field study methodology to low-rise multifamily buildings, extending field-based compliance measurement into a housing segment that often sits between single-family and larger commercial-style multifamily construction.
13) What does the municipal building portfolios topic area examine?
It explores the life-cycle impacts of energy codes within municipal building portfolios, signaling interest in longer-term cost and performance outcomes for public buildings, not only near-term energy savings.
14) What type of funding opportunity is this?
It is a discretionary funding opportunity issued by DOE-GFO.
15) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0001532.
16) What CFDA program is referenced?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 81.086.
17) What funding instrument does DOE plan to use?
DOE indicated the funding instrument would be cooperative agreements.
18) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that may be contained in the full FOA.
19) How many awards did DOE anticipate making?
DOE anticipated making about 6 awards.
20) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $2,800,000.
21) When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on March 2, 2016.
22) When were applications due?
Applications were due April 11, 2016.
23) How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications had to be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE portal at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov. Applicants needed to register and create an account in the system to submit.
24) Where were questions about submission or the FOA directed?
Submission and FOA questions were to be directed through the channels described in the full posting on EERE eXCHANGE.
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