Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002117
DE-FOA-0002117 is a Department of Energy (DOE) Buildings Technologies Office (BTO) Request for Information (RFI) focused on research and development opportunities for next-generation sensors and controls that improve building energy management. The central idea is to push building systems toward whole-building integration and optimization by using connected, controllable loads. BTO is looking for practical, early-stage, and innovative technology directions that can reduce energy costs, improve occupant comfort, and enable buildings to provide valuable services to the electric grid. In the background is a broader DOE priority: making the energy system more affordable, reliable, and resilient, with buildings acting as a stronger partner to the grid and other distributed energy resources rather than behaving as passive, inflexible loads.
This opportunity is not a grant competition and it is not accepting applications for funding. It is strictly an information-gathering effort meant to collect feedback from a wide set of stakeholders, including industry, universities, national and private research laboratories, government agencies, and others with relevant expertise. BTO intends to use the responses to refine and update its Sensors and Controls research and development strategy, including the energy savings and cost reduction targets that support that strategy. The feedback may also shape future strategic planning and could influence how BTO adjusts its R&D portfolio over time. While DOE notes that it may later issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) related to the content of this RFI, there is no promise that any FOA will occur, and responding to the RFI does not provide any competitive advantage or disadvantage if a future FOA is released.
BTO organized the RFI around five categories that signal where it wants input. Category 1, Multi-Functional Wireless Sensor Networks, points to interest in scalable sensing approaches that are easier and cheaper to deploy across existing buildings, potentially reducing wiring and installation barriers while increasing the amount and quality of operational data. Category 2, Advanced Monitoring and Data Analytics, emphasizes the need to turn raw building data into actionable insights, such as diagnostics, fault detection, performance benchmarking, and predictive analytics that can identify inefficiencies and guide improvements. Category 3, Adaptive and Autonomous Controls, focuses on control strategies that can respond dynamically to changing conditions in the building and on the grid, potentially using learning-based or model-based approaches to optimize energy use without constant human intervention. Category 4, Occupant-Centric Controls, highlights comfort and usability by aligning building operations with real occupant needs and behaviors, recognizing that energy performance and satisfaction are tightly linked. Category 5, Overarching Areas of Interest and Cross-cut Strategies, covers broader themes that cut across all the other categories, such as interoperability, scalability, cybersecurity, cost, maintainability, and pathways to real-world deployment.
The RFI spells out clear submission instructions and formatting limits. Responses had to be submitted electronically by email to BTOSensorsControlsRDO@ee.doe.gov no later than 5:00 pm Eastern Time on June 3, 2019. Submissions were required as attachments to the email, in Microsoft Word (.docx) format, and limited to 10 pages with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Only electronic submissions were accepted, and DOE recommended compressing attachments larger than 25 MB (for example, by zipping) to improve deliverability.
In the source listing, the opportunity is categorized under discretionary funding and the energy activity area, associated with CFDA 81.086, and is shown as unrestricted eligibility (open to any entity type, subject to clarifications in the full text). It was issued by the Department of Energy, Golden Field Office, created April 17, 2019, and closed June 3, 2019. Because it is an RFI rather than a funding solicitation, expected awards are listed as zero, and any future funding details (such as award amounts, number of awards, and timing) would depend on later decisions and congressional appropriations if DOE were to move forward with an actual FOA.Apply for DE FOA 0002117
- The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Request for Information (RFI) DE-FOA-0002117: Research and Development Opportunities for Innovations in Sensors and Controls for Building Energy Management" 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.
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FAQs: DOE BTO RFI DE-FOA-0002117 (Next-Generation Sensors and Controls for Buildings)
What is DE-FOA-0002117?
DE-FOA-0002117 is a Department of Energy (DOE) Buildings Technologies Office (BTO) Request for Information (RFI). It seeks stakeholder input on research and development opportunities for next-generation sensors and controls that can improve building energy management through whole-building integration and optimization.
Is this a grant or funding opportunity?
No. This is not a grant competition and it is not accepting applications for funding. It is an information-gathering RFI intended to collect feedback that may inform DOE BTO strategy and potential future actions.
Can I submit an application for funding under this announcement?
No. The announcement only accepts RFI responses (feedback and input). It does not accept proposals or applications for funding.
Why is DOE BTO collecting this information?
BTO intends to use responses to refine and update its Sensors and Controls research and development strategy, including energy savings and cost reduction targets that support that strategy. The feedback may also shape future strategic planning and influence how BTO adjusts its R&D portfolio over time.
What is the overall goal behind the RFI?
The central idea is to push building systems toward whole-building integration and optimization using connected, controllable loads. The RFI emphasizes practical, early-stage, and innovative technology directions that can reduce energy costs, improve occupant comfort, and enable buildings to provide valuable services to the electric grid.
How does the electric grid relate to this RFI?
The RFI is aligned with a broader DOE priority of making the energy system more affordable, reliable, and resilient. It frames buildings as stronger partners to the grid and other distributed energy resources, rather than passive, inflexible loads.
Who was encouraged to respond to the RFI?
The RFI sought feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, universities, national and private research laboratories, government agencies, and others with relevant expertise.
What topic areas (categories) did DOE BTO ask about?
BTO organized the RFI around five categories:
- Category 1: Multi-Functional Wireless Sensor Networks (scalable sensing that is easier/cheaper to deploy, potentially reducing wiring and installation barriers while improving operational data)
- Category 2: Advanced Monitoring and Data Analytics (turning raw data into actionable insights like diagnostics, fault detection, benchmarking, and predictive analytics)
- Category 3: Adaptive and Autonomous Controls (control strategies that respond dynamically to changing building and grid conditions, including learning-based or model-based approaches)
- Category 4: Occupant-Centric Controls (aligning building operations with occupant needs and behaviors to support comfort and satisfaction alongside energy performance)
- Category 5: Overarching Areas of Interest and Cross-cut Strategies (interoperability, scalability, cybersecurity, cost, maintainability, and pathways to real-world deployment)
What is meant by “multi-functional wireless sensor networks” in this RFI?
It refers to scalable sensing approaches that can be deployed more easily and at lower cost across existing buildings, potentially reducing wiring and installation barriers while increasing the amount and quality of operational data available for energy management.
What is meant by “advanced monitoring and data analytics” in this RFI?
It emphasizes converting raw building data into actionable insights, such as diagnostics, fault detection, performance benchmarking, and predictive analytics that can identify inefficiencies and guide improvements.
What is meant by “adaptive and autonomous controls” in this RFI?
It focuses on control strategies that can adjust dynamically to changing conditions in the building and on the grid. The RFI notes these may include learning-based or model-based approaches to optimize energy use with less ongoing human intervention.
What is meant by “occupant-centric controls” in this RFI?
It highlights comfort and usability by aligning building operations with real occupant needs and behaviors, recognizing that energy performance and occupant satisfaction are closely linked.
What kinds of cross-cutting issues did DOE BTO call out?
Category 5 covers themes that cut across all categories, including interoperability, scalability, cybersecurity, cost, maintainability, and pathways to real-world deployment.
How were responses required to be submitted?
Responses had to be submitted electronically by email, with the response included as an attachment.
What email address was used for submissions?
Responses were submitted to BTOSensorsControlsRDO@ee.doe.gov.
What was the submission deadline?
The deadline was 5:00 pm Eastern Time on June 3, 2019.
What file format was required?
Submissions were required as email attachments in Microsoft Word (.docx) format.
Were there formatting and length limits?
Yes. Responses were limited to 10 pages, using 12-point font and one-inch margins.
Were paper submissions accepted?
No. Only electronic submissions were accepted.
What if the attachment was too large to email?
DOE recommended compressing attachments larger than 25 MB (for example, by zipping) to improve deliverability.
Who issued this RFI?
The RFI was issued by the Department of Energy (DOE), Golden Field Office, under the Buildings Technologies Office (BTO).
When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
It was created on April 17, 2019 and closed on June 3, 2019.
What activity area and assistance listing are associated with this opportunity?
The source listing categorizes it under discretionary funding and the energy activity area, associated with CFDA 81.086.
Who was eligible to respond?
The listing shows unrestricted eligibility (open to any entity type), subject to clarifications in the full text.
How many awards were expected?
Because this is an RFI (not a funding solicitation), expected awards were listed as zero.
Will DOE definitely release a future Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) based on this RFI?
No. DOE noted it may later issue an FOA related to the content of the RFI, but there is no promise that any FOA will occur.
Does responding to this RFI provide an advantage in a future FOA competition?
No. DOE stated that responding to the RFI does not provide any competitive advantage or disadvantage if a future FOA is released.
Where would future funding details come from if DOE later issued an FOA?
The RFI notes that any future funding details (such as award amounts, number of awards, and timing) would depend on later decisions and congressional appropriations if DOE were to move forward with an actual FOA.
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