Program Description: Residential and commercial buildings currently consume 40% of the primary energy consumed in the U.S., and they produce roughly 39% of total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. Cooling is one of the major uses of energy in buildings, yet the basic approaches used for cooling have not changed in decades. New, more efficient methods of cooling represent a great opportunity to reduce energy consumption, especially from traditional refrigerants, from buildings.

The 16 projects funded through the BEET-IT program focus on developing new approaches and technologies for cooling equipment used in heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in our buildings, as well as in refrigeration.These projects aim to drastically improve energy efficiency in buildings at a cost comparable to current technologies. The technologies undergoing development in these projects are suitable for new building construction and can also be retrofitted into the existing cooling systems of legacy buildings, which will enable the U.S. to leverage its existing infrastructure.

Click here for more information: http://arpa-e.energy.gov/ProgramsProjects/BEETIT.aspx