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

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this ARPA-E notice (DE-FOA-0003385) actually offering?

This notice is a Request for Information (RFI) on Highly Insulating Building Enclosures. It is not a funding opportunity announcement and it is not offering financial assistance through a grant or cooperative agreement competition.

Is ARPA-E accepting grant applications under this notice?

No. The notice explicitly states it is not accepting applications for financial assistance. The purpose is to collect input, not to run an active funding competition.

Will ARPA-E make any awards from this RFI?

No awards are expected. The listed award ceiling is $0, and there is no active grant or cooperative agreement competition tied to the RFI.

If there is no funding, why does ARPA-E issue this RFI?

ARPA-E is using the RFI to gather technical and market feedback that could shape a future program and a possible future funding opportunity. Responses can influence whether ARPA-E launches a program, what requirements and metrics it uses, and which approaches it views as promising.

What topic is ARPA-E asking about in this RFI?

The RFI focuses on next-generation building envelope (building enclosure) technologies, with an emphasis on very high performance insulation components for windows and walls.

What performance targets are highlighted?

ARPA-E calls out two specific performance targets: R-10-rated glass for windows and R-50-rated walls.

What building types are in scope?

ARPA-E is interested in solutions that can work for both residential and commercial buildings.

Is the RFI limited to new construction, or does it include retrofits?

Both are in scope. ARPA-E is interested in technologies that can be applied in retrofit situations as well as new construction.

What kinds of solutions is ARPA-E trying to understand?

The RFI is probing what it would take to create window and wall systems that dramatically reduce heat flow while still being feasible to manufacture, install, and adopt at scale in real buildings.

Why is ARPA-E focused on building enclosures rather than only improving HVAC equipment?

ARPA-E frames enclosure performance as a major lever because it addresses the underlying heat transfer that HVAC systems must continuously offset. Reducing heat loss and heat gain through the envelope can reduce HVAC demand in a foundational way.

How big is the energy problem ARPA-E is pointing to?

The notice states that in 2022, heating and cooling in U.S. residential and commercial buildings represented about 12% of total national energy consumption (roughly 12 quadrillion BTUs).

How much HVAC energy is attributed to the building envelope?

Within HVAC energy use, about 45% is attributed to losses or gains through the building envelope, including windows, walls, doors, attics, and air leakage.

What parts of the building envelope does ARPA-E mention?

The notice explicitly references windows, walls, doors, attics, and air leakage as contributors to envelope-related heating and cooling loads.

Beyond energy savings, what benefits does ARPA-E associate with better enclosures?

The notice highlights several potential compounding benefits: smaller (and potentially cheaper) HVAC systems, reduced ducting needs, freed interior space, simplified building systems, reduced peak electricity demand, and broader support for emissions reduction and grid resilience as electrification and extreme temperature events increase stress on generation and distribution.

Who is eligible to participate?

The eligible applicant field is listed as "Unrestricted," consistent with an RFI intended to gather broad input rather than limit participation to specific organization types.

Who is ARPA-E hoping will respond to the RFI?

ARPA-E is seeking insights from technology developers, manufacturers, researchers, builders, and other stakeholders who can address performance targets and real-world adoption constraints.

What kinds of input does ARPA-E want responders to cover?

Based on the notice, ARPA-E is looking for technical and market input on topics such as performance targets, cost barriers, manufacturability, durability, installation constraints, code and safety considerations, and pathways to commercialization.

Is this RFI a signal that future funding may be coming?

It signals interest in transformative envelope technologies and is described as a listening step ahead of a possible future program. However, the notice itself does not provide funding and does not establish an active competition.

What is the deadline to respond to the RFI?

The RFI is open for responses until the original closing date of 2024-06-07.

Where can I find the full RFI text and submission instructions?

The notice indicates the full text and instructions are available through the ARPA-E funding opportunity site at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov.

Does responding to the RFI guarantee eligibility or selection for a future award?

The notice does not describe any selection process or awards under this RFI. It states there is no active competition and no awards are expected, so a response should be viewed as input to inform ARPA-E rather than a step in an award process.

What does it mean that the award ceiling is listed as $0?

It reflects that this is not a funding opportunity and that ARPA-E does not expect to make awards under this notice.

What is ARPA-E trying to learn about scaling and adoption?

The RFI emphasizes feasibility to manufacture, install, and adopt at scale, indicating ARPA-E is looking for realistic pathways for high-performance window and wall solutions to be deployed broadly in real buildings.

What is the core idea behind the RFI in simple terms?

ARPA-E is exploring what it would take to make dramatically better windows and wall systems (R-10 glass and R-50 walls) that work in both new and existing buildings, because envelope heat transfer drives a large share of HVAC energy use and improving it can produce cascading benefits for buildings and the electric grid.