Request For Information (RFI) on Highly Insulating Building Enclosures | DE FOA 0003385

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003385

The Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) issued this notice as a Request for Information (RFI) on Highly Insulating Building Enclosures (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0003385). The key point is that this is not a funding opportunity announcement and it is not accepting applications for financial assistance. There is no active grant or cooperative agreement competition tied to this notice, no awards are expected, and the listed award ceiling is $0. Instead, ARPA-E is using the RFI to collect technical and market input that could shape a future program and a possible future funding opportunity.

The RFI is centered on next-generation building envelope technologies, specifically aiming to accelerate development of very high performance insulation components: R-10-rated glass for windows and R-50-rated walls. ARPA-E is interested in solutions that can work for both residential and commercial buildings, and that can be applied in both retrofit situations and new construction. In practical terms, the RFI is probing what it would take to make windows and wall systems that dramatically reduce heat flow, while still being feasible to manufacture, install, and adopt at scale in real buildings.

ARPA-E frames the opportunity around the size of the energy problem associated with buildings. In 2022, heating and cooling in U.S. residential and commercial buildings represented about 12% of total national energy consumption (roughly 12 quadrillion BTUs). Within that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) energy use, about 45% is attributed to losses or gains through the building envelope, including windows, walls, doors, attics, and air leakage. The message is that improving the enclosure is one of the biggest levers for cutting HVAC demand, because it addresses the underlying heat transfer that HVAC systems must continuously offset.

The notice also highlights why ARPA-E cares about this beyond energy savings on utility bills. If buildings need less heating and cooling because the envelope performs better, HVAC systems can be smaller and potentially cheaper, and ducting requirements can shrink. That can free up usable interior space, simplify building systems, and reduce peak electricity demand on the grid, which becomes more important as electrification and extreme temperature events increase stress on generation and distribution. The overall concept is that high performance envelopes can create compounding benefits: lower energy consumption, reduced emissions, and easier-to-manage building and grid infrastructure.

In terms of participation, the eligible applicant field is listed as "Unrestricted," which is consistent with an RFI meant to gather broad input rather than limit engagement to certain institution types. ARPA-E is effectively trying to identify potential participants and gather insights from technology developers, manufacturers, researchers, builders, and other stakeholders who can speak to performance targets, cost barriers, manufacturability, durability, installation constraints, code and safety considerations, and pathways to commercialization. The RFI is open for responses until the original closing date of 2024-06-07, and the full text and instructions are available through the ARPA-E funding opportunity site at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov.

Overall, this notice is best understood as ARPA-E's market and technical listening step ahead of a possible future program. It signals interest in transformative envelope technologies, with clear performance targets (R-10 window glass and R-50 wall systems) and a clear rationale (a large fraction of HVAC energy is driven by envelope heat transfer). It does not provide funding now, but it can be an important precursor: strong responses can influence whether a program is launched, what requirements and metrics it uses, and which approaches are viewed as promising enough to support in a later formal funding opportunity announcement.

• The Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy in the oz, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Request For Information (RFI) on Highly Insulating Building Enclosures" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.135.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-16.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-06-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

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