Request for Information (RFI) DE-FOA-0002118: Research and Development Opportunities for Building Energy Modeling | DE FOA 0002118

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002118

DOE's Building Technologies Office (BTO) issued Request for Information (RFI) DE-FOA-0002118 to gather public input on where research and development should go next for Building Energy Modeling (BEM). This notice is not a grant solicitation and it does not fund projects; it is a structured request for feedback that DOE may use to shape future program plans and, potentially, a later Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The overall intent is to hear from a broad mix of stakeholders, including industry, universities, national labs, government agencies, and others who develop, use, or are impacted by building energy modeling.

The RFI centers on BTO's desire to improve both the effectiveness and adoption of BEM across the building sector. DOE specifically asks for input on planned initiatives (and how they should be prioritized), the appropriate scope of the BEM program, and the data sets, metrics, and targets that could be used to measure whether the program and the broader BEM industry are making real progress. In other words, DOE is looking for practical guidance not only on what technical problems to solve, but also on how to track impact in a way that is credible, repeatable, and meaningful to the market.

To frame the discussion, BTO developed a report organized around six focus areas. These are: (1) the BEM value proposition, meaning how modeling delivers value in real projects and decisions; (2) predictive accuracy, focused on how closely model outputs match measured building performance and how to reduce uncertainty; (3) core modeling capabilities, covering the fundamental simulation features and methods needed to represent buildings and systems well; (4) workflow integration and automation, aimed at making modeling easier to use within design, construction, retrofit, and operations processes; (5) the BEM data ecosystem, which includes the availability, quality, standardization, and accessibility of data needed to build, calibrate, and validate models; and (6) BEM professionals, which addresses the workforce side such as skills, training, credentials, and the practices that enable consistent results.

Within those focus areas, DOE identifies barriers that it believes are limiting wider BEM adoption and proposes initiatives intended to address them. The RFI asks respondents to critique those barriers and initiatives directly, suggest additions or corrections, and highlight important obstacles DOE may have missed. This includes technical barriers (for example, limits in model accuracy, interoperability, or automation), market and practice barriers (such as costs, time, and fragmented workflows), and workforce or institutional barriers (like insufficient training pathways or inconsistent methods).

DOE also emphasizes the need for better ways to measure BEM's role and effectiveness in energy efficiency and related building projects. One of the key feedback areas is the development of metrics, benchmarks, targets, and data sets that can track the use of BEM in different applications and help attribute energy savings or performance improvements to modeling. That attribution question matters because modeling is often one part of a larger decision chain, and DOE wants input on methods that can credibly connect modeling activities to outcomes such as energy savings, peak demand reduction, improved commissioning, better retrofit decisions, or reduced performance gaps.

The RFI is organized into six response categories that stakeholders can address. Category 1 focuses on metrics, benchmarks, targets, and data sets for tracking BEM use and for determining how energy efficiency can be attributed to BEM in different applications. Category 2 addresses the six focus areas themselves and whether they are the right organizing framework. Category 3 targets the barriers DOE identified and invites additions or refinements. Category 4 covers the proposed initiatives DOE suggests to overcome those barriers, including prioritization and design considerations. Category 5 asks about stakeholder engagement and feedback mechanisms, essentially how DOE should continue to gather input, coordinate with the community, and ensure efforts align with real-world needs. Category 6 is an open slot for any other relevant feedback not captured elsewhere.

On logistics, responses were required to be submitted by email to BTOBEMRDO@ee.doe.gov by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on June 3, 2019. DOE specified that responses must be attached to the email as a Microsoft Word (.docx) document, limited to 10 pages, using 12-point font and 1-inch margins. Only electronic submissions were accepted, and DOE recommended compressing attachments larger than 25 MB to avoid delivery problems.

Finally, DOE makes clear this RFI is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement and does not accept applications for funding. While DOE may later issue a FOA informed by the responses, it may also choose not to, and there is no guarantee of future funding. Responding to the RFI does not provide any competitive advantage or disadvantage in any future solicitation. The published opportunity information lists it as a discretionary opportunity under the energy activity category, with CFDA number 81.086, open eligibility (unrestricted), administered through DOE's Golden Field Office, created April 17, 2019, and closing June 3, 2019.

• The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Request for Information (RFI) DE-FOA-0002118: Research and Development Opportunities for Building Energy Modeling" 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 Apr 17, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 03, 2019. (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 $2.00 in funding.
• 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.

Apply for DE FOA 0002118

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: