SENSOR Highlights

ARPA-E today announced $20 million in funding for 15 projects that will develop a new class of sensor systems to enable significant energy savings via reduced demand for heating and cooling in residential and commercial buildings. ARPA-E’s Saving Energy Nationwide in Structures with Occupancy Recognition (SENSOR) program will support innovative and highly accurate presence sensors and occupant counters that optimize heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) of buildings while reducing cost and slashing energy use. 

ARPA-E today announced up to $30 million in funding for the development of a new class of building sensor systems aimed at improved controls for heating and cooling that will improve comfort, reduce costs, and reduce energy use.

ARPA-E hosted the “Advanced Occupancy Sensors for Better Buildings” workshop on July 12-13, 2016 in the Portland, OR area. This workshop will bring together thought leaders from distinct science, engineering, and industrial communities. Attendees collectively will discuss the impact that innovations in occupancy sensing technologies can make in curbing building heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) use without compromising the health and comfort of building occupants. Specifically, participants will lend their expertise to help inform technical metrics for advanced occupancy sensor concepts, cost targets (including for both residential and commercial settings), and identify productive avenues of research.