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.
Related Stories
| Dec 29, 2014
HealthSpot station merges personalized healthcare with videoconferencing [BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report]
The HealthSpot station is an 8x5-foot, ADA-compliant mobile kiosk that lets patients access a network of board-certified physicians through interactive videoconferencing and medical devices. It was named a 2014 Great Solution by the editors of Building Design+Construction.
| Dec 28, 2014
Robots, drones, and printed buildings: The promise of automated construction
Building Teams across the globe are employing advanced robotics to simplify what is inherently a complex, messy process—construction.
BIM and Information Technology | Dec 28, 2014
The Big Data revolution: How data-driven design is transforming project planning
There are literally hundreds of applications for deep analytics in planning and design projects, not to mention the many benefits for construction teams, building owners, and facility managers. We profile some early successful applications.
| Dec 23, 2014
5 tech trends transforming BIM/VDC
From energy modeling on the fly to prefabrication of building systems, these advancements are potential game changers for AEC firms that are serious about building information modeling.
| Dec 17, 2014
ULI report looks at growing appeal of micro unit apartments
New research from the Urban Land Institute suggests that micro units have staying power as a housing type that appeals to urban dwellers in high-cost markets who are willing to trade space for improved affordability and proximity to downtown neighborhoods.
| Nov 3, 2014
Novel 'self-climbing' elevator operates during construction of high-rise buildings
The JumpLift system from KONE uses a mobile machine room that moves upward as the construction progresses, speeding construction of tall towers.
| Oct 14, 2014
Slash energy consumption in data centers with liquid-based ‘immersive-cooling’ technology
A new technology promises to push the limits of data center energy efficiency by using liquid instead of air to cool the servers.
| Sep 10, 2014
Must See: Shape-shifting architecture that responds to heat
Students in Barcelona have created a composite material using shape memory polymers that can deform and return to their original state when activated by cues like heat, humidity, and light.
| Aug 4, 2014
Facebook’s prefab data center concept aims to slash construction time in half
Less than a year after opening its ultra-green, hydropowered data center facility in Luleå, Sweden, Facebook is back at it in Mother Svea with yet another novel approach to data center design.
| Aug 4, 2014
BIM Giants: Firms enhance BIM/VDC with advanced collaboration tools [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Cloud-based data sharing, rapid iterative design, and cross-discipline collaboration are among the emerging trends in the BIM/VDC field, according to BD+C's 2014 Giants 300 Report.
