Summary: The U.S. Department of Energy has released a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) looking to invest in innovative programs to perform energy-efficient retrofits on large numbers of existing buildings. As much as $453 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant money was approved by Congress as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for two programs: a Retrofit Ramp-up Program, for which $390 million is available to state and local governments and nonprofits eligible for Block Grants, and a General Innovation Fund, with $64 million available to entities not eligible for Block Grants.

According to DOE, the funds are to go toward “innovative, ‘game changing’ ideas that create a comprehensive framework for building retrofits, including processes for financing, marketing/education, delivery, monitoring, and verification measurement.”

“This presents a great opportunity for architects to partner with their local and state governments and nonprofits to design programs to retrofit existing buildings for energy efficiency,” says Billie Kaumaya, manager, AIA Federal Regulatory Relations.