Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC), in the Energy & Transportation Science Division (ETSD), focuses on research, development, and deployment of energy efficient technologies in support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) goal of zero energy homes by 2020 and zero energy commercial buildings by 2025. BTRIC focuses on four main areas: 1) research and development of new materials, components and systems technologies for energy efficiency in buildings, 2) whole-building and community integration (energy efficiency, renewable energy, and to grid), 3) improved energy management in existing buildings and industrial facilities during their operational phase, and 4) market transformations from old to new in all of these areas. BTRIC has a seasoned staff of approximately 60 researchers and a wealth of experimental facilities, which have been designated as DOE National User Facilities. Almost all of the work at BTRIC is done in collaboration with industry, universities, associations, and utilities.
Our work aligns with and supports the goals of several DOE programs within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The DOE programs we support are the Building Technologies Program (BTP), the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), the Industrial Technologies Program (ITP), the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program (WIP), the Geothermal Technologies Program (GTP), and the Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP). We also support the DOE Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, the Office of Climate Change Policy and Technology (CCTP), and the Office of Policy and International Affairs (PIA).
Reducing the energy/carbon footprint of the nation's buildings sector is essential for tackling climate change and will be an enormous challenge. Buildings account for 39% of U.S. carbon emissions and the consumption of 40% of the nation's total primary energy, 73% of electricity, and 55% of natural gas (34% of natural gas excluding gas used to generate electricity consumed in buildings). The importance of buildings is amplified because renewable energy applications such as photovoltaic electricity generation, day lighting, solar water heating, and geothermal (ground-source) space conditioning and water heating are most economical when using buildings as their deployment platforms.