Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings

As clean energy becomes cheaper and more popular, there will be a greater need to maximize load flexibility on the grid. Grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) change when they use energy to lower demand on the grid. By scheduling energy use not just when people need it, but also when it's best for the grid, GEBs allows building occupants to manage building comfort and productivity, save money, and enhance grid reliability and resilience.

Our work on GEBs

Thermal Storage

Thermal storage is an important GEB tool, and is significantly more cost-effective than popular battery storage. Our work includes:

December 12, 2022

Slipstream, IREC to develop energy resilience plan in Castañer, Puerto Rico

The firms will coordinate to assist the local utility in developing tools to restore power faster after extreme weather events.
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April 21, 2022

Training for the smart building transition: Slipstream awarded two new tech transfer projects with IREC

Our expertise in advanced building controls and energy technologies will help IREC and its stakeholders meet the requirements of the clean energy economy and advance the transition to smart buildings.
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February 25, 2022

The Three Pillars of GEB Controls

Balancing energy supply and demand is the puzzle in front of utilities as renewables clean up the grid. The key lies in buildings that change when they use energy.
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February 25, 2022

Beyond the Building: Grid-building interactivity is key to decarbonization 

The many actors of our energy industry are all turning to take on carbon as our primary target—some slowly and stubbornly beginning that transition, others already there. We used to count kWh, Btus, number of widgets installed, or number of buildings certified. Now we're counting carbon.
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January 27, 2022

Slipstream researchers take on three new projects for the U.S. Department of Defense ESTCP in 2022

Slipstream will serve as the prime applicant or a key partner in three of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP)'s new projects for fiscal year 2022.
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December 23, 2021

Slipstream awarded Department of Energy Connected Communities grant to prove GEBs at scale

Slipstream was awarded over $5 million to establish a scalable business model for utilities to enable more grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs).
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September 1, 2021

Lighting, HVAC, and plug load integration

The Integrated Controls study team performed a pilot study for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Integrated Lighting Campaign to integrate building systems more efficiently to produce greater cost savings and climate solutions.
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May 14, 2020

Load shifting: The measures that can save energy and carbon together

In Minnesota—one of many states pursuing an aggressive set of climate goals—50% of statewide electricity production is estimated to come from wind and solar by 2035. At the same time, traditional efficiency measures are reaching saturation in the market.
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