GSA Green Proving Ground program selects six innovative building technologies for evaluation

The U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) Green Proving Ground program, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, has selected six innovative building technologies for evaluation in GSA’s inventory.

The technologies chosen are:

CO2-Based Heat Pump by Dalrada, based in Escondido, Calif. This combustion-free heat pump, using carbon dioxide as the refrigerant, promises to increase heating and cooling efficiency while reducing global warming potential.

Solar PV Tracking by Rocking Solar, based in Monroe, Ohio. 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 by 3M based in St. Paul, Minn., and NGS, based in Atlanta, Ga. This non-metalized window film promises to increase window thermal performance with increased durability, reduced reflectivity, and no cell signal interference.

Additive that Increases Heat Transfer by Endo Enterprises/Pace49, based in Bellingham, Wash. This hydronic additive promises to improve the heat transfer properties of water to reduce energy use in closed-loop HVAC systems.

EV Charge Management by WeaveGrid, based in San Francisco, Calif. This EV charge management solution integrates 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 by Fermata Energy of Charlottesville, Va. This vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology is expected to turn EVs into energy storage assets, increasing resilience and lowering the cost of EV ownership.

The evaluations are intended to validate the technical and operational characteristics of the technologies and their potential for future deployment.

Rural hospitals present unique opportunities and challenges for healthcare facility operators. Oftentimes, the infrastructure and building systems have not been updated for years and require significant improvements in order to meet today’s modern medical demands. Additionally, as these smaller, more remote hospitals are acquired by larger regional and national healthcare systems, the first step by new ownership is often to update and rehabilitate the building. But how can this be done thoughtfully, economically, and efficiently in ways that allow the engineering and facility staff to adapt to the changes? And how can the updates accurately reflect the specific needs of rural communities and the afflictions with which these areas most commonly face?