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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 areas of focus are new building technologies, whole-building and community integration, and improved energy management in buildings and industrial facilities during their operational phase. A full-time staff of approximately 50 researchers conduct experiments in a DOE-designated National User Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the DOE and other sponsors, 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 (BT), the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), the Industrial Technologies Program (ITP), the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program (WIP), and the Solar Energy Technologies Program. 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 43% of U.S. carbon emissions and the consumption of 39% of total primary energy, 72% electricity, and 58% natural gas. The importance of buildings is amplified because renewable energy applications such as photovoltaic energy generation, daylighting, solar water heating, and geothermal (ground-source) space conditioning and water heating are most economical when using buildings as their deployment platforms.