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September 2023
NREL Researchers Reveal How Buildings Across United States Do—and Could—Use Energy
Buildings are responsible for 40% of total energy use in the United States, including 75% of all electricity use and 35% of the nation's carbon emissions. Although today's decarbonization efforts often focus on renewable electricity or electric vehicles, decarbonizing the building stock is also essential.
July 2023
Lower Energy Costs, Healthier Air: How Energy CLASS Prize Winners Are Transforming Their School
Twenty-five local education agencies were awarded $100,000 at the close of the first phase of the American-Made Energy CLASS Prize. Teams will now receive training and personalized coaching to implement health and efficiency upgrades in their schools.
Distinguished Researcher Birdie Carpenter Sets Sail After Naval Career
Alberta (Birdie) Carpenter, one of seven newly named NREL Distinguished Researchers, enjoys science but also embraces unexpected opportunities.
June 2023
Department of Energy's ZEDD Program Recognizes Institutions Preparing the Next Generation's Zero-Energy Workforce
DOE's Zero Energy Design Designation (ZEDD) recognizes college programs that are committed to zero-energy education. There's still time to apply for the 2023 ZEDD cohort.
NREL Windows Research Clearly Making a Difference
Builders began erecting edifices with massive walls of windows after World War II. The trend continues to this day, but the 1970s saw the adoption of double-pane windows to reduce energy consumption. Researchers at NREL have been working to improve windows since 1983.
May 2023
NREL Adds Lab Space With New Building, Preps Other Projects
NREL's newest building, the Research and Innovation Laboratory (RAIL), which will house multipurpose lab space, is the first laboratory building to open at NREL's Golden, Colorado, campus since the fall of 2013.
News Release: Inflation Reduction Act Invests $150 Million in NREL Projects
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that NREL will begin work on a series of additions and improvements to two of its campuses made possible by $150 million in funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA).
Solar Decathlon 2023 Winners Take Zero-Energy Design and Construction to Next Level
The 2023 winners of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, DOE's longest-running student competition, are leading the clean energy revolution by designing and constructing better buildings.
Managing Building Efficiency in the City That Never Sleeps
Data exchange and support software developed at NREL is helping community building owners—including those in New York City—meet the national drive toward decarbonization.
April 2023
Award-Winning NREL Buildings Project Bolstered by Team's Passion for Clean Energy
Wonderful memories of swimming in the local rivers of Zhejiang in eastern China led a young Yueyue Zhou toward a career in architecture and creating beautiful landscapes. But experiencing the effects of climate change firsthand and watching those rivers become polluted is what drove her to NREL.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025