[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 196 (Thursday, October 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61067-61068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24134]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

[Docket No. EERE-2014-BT-NOA-0016]


Buildings-to-Grid Integration and Related Areas of Research

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces for public comment 
the availability of the draft document titled ``Transaction-Based 
Building Controls Framework, Volume 1: Reference Guide''.

DATES: DOE will accept written comments regarding the draft document 
until November 10, 2014.

ADDRESSES: The draft document is available at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2014-BT-NOA-0016.
    Any comments submitted must identify the request for comment for 
buildings-to-grid integration and related areas of research and provide 
docket number EERE-2014-BT-NOA-0016 by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include 
the docket number EERE-2014-BT-NOA-0016 in the subject line of the 
message.
     Mail: Mr. Joseph Hagerman, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Building Technologies Office, Mailstop EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. If possible, please submit all items on 
a compact disc (CD), in which case it is not necessary to include 
printed copies. [Please note that comments and CDs sent by mail are 
often delayed and may

[[Page 61068]]

be damaged by mail screening processes.]
     Hand Delivery/Courier: Mr. Joseph Hagerman, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, 950 L'Enfant Plaza 
SW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024. If possible, please submit all 
items on CD, in which case it is not necessary to include printed 
copies.
    Docket: The docket is available for review at www.regulations.gov, 
including Federal Register notices, framework documents, summary notes, 
comments, and other supporting documents/materials. All documents in 
the docket are listed in the www.regulations.gov index.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Joseph Hagerman, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Office of Building Technologies (EE-5B), 950 L'Enfant Plaza 
SW., Washington, DC 20024. Phone: (202) 586-4549. Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces the availability for 
public comment of the draft document ``Transaction-Based Building 
Controls Framework, Volume 1: Reference Guide''. A new building 
diagnostic and controls revolution is underway within the buildings 
sector, primarily in the commercial buildings sector. In it, 
application-based systems are presenting an opportunity to implement 
strategies in which highly ``optimized'' control capable of constantly 
increasing efficiency levels while improving resource allocation is an 
inherent attribute of the strategy rather than an explicitly programmed 
feature. These building controls and algorithms can also be part of 
deep retrofits in existing buildings that result in energy savings not 
just today, but also ensure persistent energy savings over the life of 
the buildings. At the same time, the introduction of sensors and 
controls, as well as information technology and communication protocols 
between the buildings and the electric grid, has led to digitized 
sensing, metering, communication and controls.
    Using these technological advances and careful coordination, 
buildings could provide valuable comfort and productivity services to 
building owners and occupants, such as automatically and continuously 
improving building operations and maintenance, while at the same time 
reducing energy costs. The above-mentioned document proposes a 
framework concept to achieve the objectives of raising buildings' 
efficiency and energy savings potential benefiting building owners and 
operators. We call it a transaction-based building controls' framework, 
wherein mutually-beneficial and cost-effective market-based 
transactions can be enabled between multiple players across different 
domains.
    DOE is particularly interested in public comment on the following 
list of questions embedded within the document.
    1. What do you think of the Transactive Energy future state 
described here?
    2. Are there other or better ways to make buildings smarter?
    3. How smart do buildings need to be and why?
    4. Are there other examples of Transactive Energy implementation 
that should be included? Please provide details, reports and studies 
that you might be aware of documenting the results of such 
implementations.
    5. Are these four categories of exchangeable services comprehensive 
enough? If not, should they be expanded in scope? Or, should additional 
categories be defined?
    6. What are some other reports/studies that cover/support/
illustrate these topics of services and service categories?
    7. Are there other important networks that need to be illustrated?
    8. Are there other (project) demonstration examples to be included? 
Are there other important categories of transactions?
    9. What are some additional use cases for this end-user service 
category? Please see the use-case template in section 8.0 to provide 
your inputs.
    10. Are there additional or better use cases for this energy market 
service category? Please see the use-case template in section 8.0 to 
provide your inputs.
    11. Can you describe additional use cases for this grid service 
category? Please see the use-case template in section 8.0 to provide 
your inputs.
    12. What are some additional use cases for this societal service 
category? Please see the use-case template in section 8.0 to provide 
your inputs.
    The public comment period ends November 10, 2014 to provide 
interested parties adequate time to prepare and submit comments and DOE 
will consider any comments received by that date. The report is 
available at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2014-BT-
NOA-0016.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 30, 2014.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2014-24134 Filed 10-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P