GSA tests heat pump, solar tracker, window film and other innovative technologies to enable transition to net-zero carbon

The U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) Green Proving Ground (GPG) program, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), has selected six innovative building technologies for evaluation in GSA’s inventory, including the program’s first selections of electric vehicle (EV) charging technology. The GPG program leverages GSA’s real estate portfolio to evaluate innovative building technologies in real-world settings. Results enable GSA to make sound investment decisions in next-generation building technologies. An additional three technologies will be tested through DOE’s commercial building partners.

The American-made technologies were chosen in response to GSA’s most recent Request for Information seeking technologies for net-zero carbon buildings. The evaluations are intended to validate the technical and operational characteristics of the technologies and their potential for future deployment.

C02-Based Heat Pump, Dalrada (Escondido, CA) – Decarbonizing heating is key to achieving Net-Zero. This combustion-free heat pump promises to increase heating and cooling efficiency by capturing and reusing thermal energy while reducing global warming potential. Using carbon dioxide as the refrigerant, this heat pump can deliver cooling down to -22°F and heating up to 250°F.

Solar PV Tracking, Rocking Solar (Monroe, OH) – According to DOE, commercial buildings consume 35% of the electricity in the U.S. This single-axis solar tracker promises to increase commercial rooftop solar photovoltaic production by adapting a proven utility tracking technology with a new low-profile rocker design that reduces friction, motor size, and the cost of sun-tracking.

Non-Metalized Window Film, 3M (St. Paul, MN) and NGS (Atlanta, GA) – Windows are the weakest energy-efficiency link in the building envelope, but replacing them can be cost-prohibitive. This non-metalized window film promises to increase window thermal performance with increased durability, reduced reflectivity, and no cell signal interference. The exterior version is expected to effectively block heat transmission, making it an efficient option even on coated or dual-pane tinted glass. The interior version incorporates additional technology that meets current GSA standards for blast resistance.

Additive that Increases Heat Transfer, Endo Enterprises/Pace49 (Bellingham, WA) – Closed-loop heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems rely on water to transfer heat energy throughout a building. This hydronic additive promises to improve the heat transfer properties of water to reduce energy use in closed-loop HVAC systems.

The program also selected two technologies aimed at unlocking the value of electric vehicle batteries to not only power vehicles, but to interact dynamically with a building’s electric load and the local electric grid. The resulting assessment of these new technologies will refine GSA’s understanding of the requirements needed to support an all-electric fleet. The technologies will be tested at demonstration projects, called Applied Innovation Learning Laboratories, at GSA-controlled facilities across the country. At these sites, GSA will work with federal partners, industry, and local utilities to test new technologies that will support an all-electric fleet.

• EV Charge Management, WeaveGrid (San Francisco, CA) – The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to electrifying the 450,000 vehicles in the federal fleet. This EV charge management solution supports that goal by integrating embedded vehicle telematics with utility signals to optimize charging based on vehicle use, utility rates, and the carbon content of delivered power.
• Bi-directional EV Charging, Fermata Energy (Charlottesville, VA) – Bi-directional EV charging can be used to stabilize the grid by strategically using EVs to either power local building loads or send energy back to the grid. This vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology is expected to turn EVs into energy storage assets, increasing resilience and lowering the cost of EV ownership.

Reference above to any specific company, product, technology or service does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or favoring by GSA. More information on the above technologies and other ongoing evaluations can be found at GPG’s Ongoing Assessments webpage.