Resources

General Information

Connected Communities
Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings (GEBs)
Grid Services

Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings (GEBs)

What is a Grid - Interactive Efficient Building?

A grid-interactive efficient building (GEB) is an energy-efficient building that uses smart end-use equipment and/or other onsite DERs to provide demand flexibility while co-optimizing for energy cost, grid services, and occupant needs and preferences, in a continuous and integrated way.

Smart Sensors and Controls

State-of-the-art sensors and controls can be used to curtail or temporarily manage up to 30% of the commercial building peak load savings.

Key Characteristics
The Potential
  • Buildings account for >70% of U.S. electricity consumption and power sector CO2 emissions.
  • Achievable national adoption of GEBs could save hundreds of billions of dollars in power system costs, reduce carbon emissions, and relieve stress on the grid.
  • Integrating state-of-the-art technologies, sensors, and controls throughout the commercial building stock could save up to 29% of site energy consumption.
  • DOE has a goal of tripling energy efficiency and demand flexibility in residential and commercial buildings by 2030, relative to 2020 levels

DOE's Building Technologies Office research is helping to make buildings become smarter about the amount and timing of energy use through the Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings (GEB) initiative.

GEBs help save money on energy bills, and they also benefit the electric grid by enhancing grid reliability and resilience, deferring capital expenditures, and helping to balance the renewable generation supply.

Report

Pilot Considerations for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings in Hawaii

This brief provides information laying out the goals and data needed for a successful GEB pilot and addressing key utility priorities that GEB can help contribute to. The report presents illustrative ... This brief provides information laying out the goals and data needed for a successful GEB pilot and addressing key utility priorities that GEB can help contribute to. The report presents illustrative examples that consider the metrics for gauging pilot success and considerations for public utility commissions and pilot designers.
See Report (1.7 MB)
Report

Pilot Considerations for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings in Washington

This brief provides information laying out the goals and data needed for a successful GEB pilot and addressing key utility priorities that GEB can help contribute to. The report presents illustrative ... This brief provides information laying out the goals and data needed for a successful GEB pilot and addressing key utility priorities that GEB can help contribute to. The report presents illustrative examples that consider the metrics for gauging pilot success and considerations for public utility commissions and pilot designers.
See Report (1.66 MB)
Report

RMI - Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings Made Easy: A GSA Building Manager’s Guide to Low- and No-Cost GEB Measures

This document provides an overview of grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) and actionable steps for GSA building managers to implement low- and no-cost measures that result in utility cost savi... This document provides an overview of grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) and actionable steps for GSA building managers to implement low- and no-cost measures that result in utility cost savings and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions.
See Report (1.69 MB)
Report

GEB Technical Report Series: An Overview of Research Challenges and Gaps

This report evaluates state-of-the-art and emerging building technologies that have significant potential to provide grid services. The report also identifies major research challenges and gaps facing... This report evaluates state-of-the-art and emerging building technologies that have significant potential to provide grid services. The report also identifies major research challenges and gaps facing the technologies as well as opportunities for technology-specific R&D. See Appendix A.1 Grid Services, which provides the potential market sizes addressable by demand flexibility in buildings for various grid services.
See Report (1.69 MB)
Fact Sheet

DOE/BTO GEB Fact Sheet

This fact sheet provides a short summary of the need for and characteristics of Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings.
See Report (892.39 KB)
Report

SEE Action - Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings: An Introduction for State and Local Governments

This report describes GEBs in the context of state and local government interests; highlights trends, challenges and opportunities for demand flexibility; provides an overview of valuation and perform... This report describes GEBs in the context of state and local government interests; highlights trends, challenges and opportunities for demand flexibility; provides an overview of valuation and performance assessments for demand flexibility and outlines actions they can take, in concert with utilities, regional grid operators, and building owners, to advance demand flexibility.
See Report (1.85 MB)