Q&A on EEB Hub Name Change

Front entrance to The Navy Yard, where CBEI is located. 

The Consortium for Building Energy Innovation (CBEI) is a federally-funded initiative to research and implement energy efficiency retrofits for small and medium-sized buildings located in the Greater Philadelphia region. It does this by developing customized plans for building owners to reduce their energy use.

CBEI is the latest iteration of the EEB Hub, the former name of the Navy Yard-based research hub. The name change was made last April. Communications Director Kat Hinkel explains the transition:

Does the name change signify any changes operationally or in the overall direction of CBEI? 

As we move forward, the name does allow for a broader look at the intersection between buildings and other kinds of energy innovation, not only energy efficiency.

What other aspects of buildings and energy will CBEI address?

Although our research currently only encompasses energy efficiency, [energy efficiency] has close ties to many other aspects of energy research, such as the electric grid, electric vehicle charging, and sustainable communities. In the future, we anticipate exploring these and other avenues that can help us better understand energy efficiency in buildings.

Specifically, what does it mean that CBEI transitioned from a “regional innovation cluster to a research and demonstration center…” as stated on the website? 

That’s really to indicate that when we first started we were one of the Energy Innovation Hubs (a different [Department of Energy] program group) and now we are in the BTO (Building Technologies Office).  We are also focused on demonstrating the technologies, tools, and solutions already created by the DOE and the Consortium.

What is the DOE Building Technologies Office? Why was the program transferred over to it?

The Building Technologies Office is the part of DOE that looks at energy efficiency in buildings, both commercial and residential. We were always affiliated with BTO; what has changed is that now there is a more clear reporting structure for us within BTO.

Does the name-change have anything to with changes in funding or leadership?

Our funding did change vs. previous years.  We have $10 mil this year vs. $24 mil last year. Obviously, we are now more focused on fewer projects.

What’s next for CBEI? Are there any major new initiatives on the horizon?

Our retrofitted headquarters building at The Navy Yard, a demonstration of the integrated design process and several energy efficiency technologies, will be completed by the end of the summer and we will be moving our research facilities over to it. This living laboratory will be the new location of our offices and research endeavors, and will be a destination for specialists to learn about energy efficiency in action.

Answers have been edited for length.