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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

FIRM image analysis: A machine learning workflow for quantifying extracellular matrix components from electron microscopy images

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex network of biomolecules that plays an integral role in the structure, processes, and signaling mechanisms of cells and tissues. Identifying and quantifying changes in these matrix components provides insight into the mechanisms behind specific tissue remodeling processes; however, quantifying these changes is challenging due to difficult imaging conditions, complexity of the ECM, and the subtlety of these changes. Current imaging techniques allow us to visualize these critical remodeling events and developments in image analysis have employed a combination of analysis software and machine learning techniques to improve the efficiency and accuracy with which features are measured. Although image analysis has seen much improvement in recent years, there has been no technique developed to address ambiguity in feature edges in electron microscopy images. Presented here is a new machine learning-based workflow for the analysis of microscopy images named FIRM (Feature Identification from Raw Microscopy) that uses a random forest classifier to identify ECM features of interest and generate binary segmentation masks for quantification with ImageJ-FIJI. FIRM performed with an F1 score of 0.794 and greater than 80% accuracy for number and size of features detected. FIRM had similar deviation from the ground truth in the number of identified fibrils, fibril size, and size distributions when compared to human analyses. The results suggest that FIRM performs as well as manual analysis and requires a fraction of the time. This analysis technique is more efficient, eliminates user bias, and can be easily optimized to identify a variety of features, making it useful for any discipline requiring image analysis.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Performance Assurance Planning Guide for Utility Energy Service Contracts: 2025 Edition

Administered by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), the Utility Program has fostered collaboration among federal agencies and their serving utilities for more than 25 years. The Utility Program supports agencies using Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESCs), a well-developed, effective contracting vehicle that enable the latest approaches to cost-effective energy management at federal sites. Federal agencies have successfully used UESCs to award over 2,000 energy and water efficiency and renewable energy projects, investing approximately $\$$2.8 billion in furthering the Federal Government's efforts to reduce energy intensity. Authorized by 42 U.S. Code section 8256 (10 U.S. Code section 2913 for the Department of Defense), a UESC is a limited-source acquisition between a federal agency and an eligible serving utility for energy management services that generate savings from the implementation of energy- and water -conservation measures (collectively referred to as ECMs), with 42 U.S. Code section 8287 (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, Part 241), providing the term of a UESC, which may extend up to 25 years. Through a UESC, the utility partner assesses designs, and implements the desired ECMs - which can range from lighting retrofits and renewable energy systems, to combined heat and power plants or other technologies and strategies, and may provide financing for the project. The agency may use any combination of appropriations and third-party financing to pay for the project, providing useful flexibility. There is no limit to the project size, big or small, that can be implemented using a UESC. To assist agencies implementing a UESC, FEMP has developed a Utility Energy Service Contract Guide and this companion guidance document to help agencies and their utility partners better understand the best practices for to ensure UESCs continue to perform and generate savings throughout their performance period. These best practices utilize a combination of effective project management, communication, documentation, and a detailed Performance Assurance Plan. This plan is a project specific set of actionable protocols that define important tasks and responsibilities throughout the contract term and reflects the site conditions, complexities, agency capabilities, and operating and maintaining planned ECMs.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Energy Improvements of Fire Station 71

Since 2018, the City of Shawnee, Kansas has completed two phases of the State of Kansas Facility Conservation Improvement Program (FCIP), an initiative that guarantees operational cost and energy savings through targeted construction improvements on City facilities and infrastructure. The City is currently in the third phase of this FCIP, where one of the projects included an investment in energy improvements for Fire Station 71 (FS 71). The City partnered with Navitas, an Energy Service Company (ESCO), to implement a Photovoltaic Solar Array on FS71. The purpose of this project was to invest in sustainable building improvements with Energy Conservation Measures (ECM) to bring cost savings to the City and to provide sustainable benefits to the residents of Shawnee. In the first task of the project, Navitas collaborated with the City of Shawnee and the Community Development Department to determine the optimal layout and schedule for the installation of the solar array on FS 71. In the second task of the project, Navitas installed the 99.8 kW DC Photovoltaic solar array system. This system installation comprised of racking, inverters, optimizers, load center, and disconnect, which were all installed at a total ECM price of $\$$247,948. The third task focused on start-up and commissioning of the array. Navitas installed a real-time data analytics information management system integrated with utility meters, which evaluates the operations of the utility system and verifies operation of equipment and ensures optimum operation for energy efficiency. In the final task of this project, this analytics system was used for monitoring and verification, which will continue to be used to evaluate the success of the project for the coming years. The primary goal of the project was to install the 99.8 kW DC PV solar array at FS 71 to demonstrate the viability of solar energy systems in essential municipal facilities. Fire stations are energy demanding structures, as they require a constant intake of power and have a high baseline energy usage. The success of solar arrays on a fire station exemplifies their energy efficiency and effectiveness and displays their potential for application on other city facilities. By installing a solar array at such a facility, the City sought not only to offset electricity usage but also to serve as a model for ECMs in other municipal facilities and infrastructure projects. From an economic standpoint, this project demonstrates the feasibility of renewable energy at the municipal level. The total project cost of $\$$247,948 was split evenly between city funds and award funding, minimizing financial risk while ensuring guaranteed long-term savings. Any excess savings that are beyond the guaranteed minimums remain with the city, which enables future investment in sustainable energy initiatives. This project provides many benefits to the public. In addition to reducing the environmental footprint of city operations, it lowers taxpayer-funded utility spending and improves the energy security of a critical facility. The knowledge gained from this implementation motivates the City to focus on similar efforts across other public facilities in future FCIP phases and other City projects.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Exploring Building Retrofit Strategies Using AutoBEM Under Future Weather Scenarios

This study evaluates the long-term effectiveness of energy conservation measures (ECMs) on building energy consumption using AutoBEM, a scalable modeling framework driven by the high-resolution Model America dataset. We simulated 18,951 buildings in Flagstaff, Arizona under four climate scenarios using Future Typical Meteorological Year (fTMY) weather files for six time periods spanning from 1980 to 2099. Six ECMs were analyzed across electricity and gas usage, including HVAC fuel-switching, insulation upgrades, and infiltration control. While some measures, such as reducing space infiltration by percentage, showed minimal or even negative impact on total energy savings at the aggregate level, they proved highly effective for specific building types. Conversely, HVAC electrification offers high gas reduction but shifts demand to electricity, highlighting critical trade-offs under different climate trajectories. Building-type-specific analysis under SSP5-RCP8.5 (2080–2099) revealed significant variation in ECM performance, underscoring the need for targeted retrofit strategies. This study demonstrates the power of combining fTMY projections with large-scale simulations to inform data-driven retrofit planning.

Chowdhury, Shovan [ORNL]↗
DOE OSTI2024

Best Practices for Smart Grid-Interactive Efficient Building Ready Performance Contracts

Grid-interactive efficient building (GEB) measures reduce costs and optimize energy use for additional grid services by coordinating building energy loads and providing continuous demand management. Incorporating GEB energy conservation measures (ECMs) in performance contracts is reliant upon multiple factors. These factors include site selection with utility tariffs and incentives favorable to GEB, the identification of GEB as a priority in the initial stages of the contracting process, integration of GEB within comprehensive performance contracts with multiple other ECMs, and careful consideration of GEB measurement and verification (M&V) for energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) and performance assurance for utility energy service contracts (UESCs).

building energy loads↗
DOE OSTI2025

Myco-CORPSE simulations assessing mycorrhizal carbon allocation across U.S. forests and global change scenarios

Plants allocate a substantial portion of their fixed carbon belowground to mycorrhizal fungi in exchange for nutrients and other benefits. However, most current ecosystem models omit mycorrhizal processes, limiting our ability to predict plant–soil carbon dynamics under environmental change. To address this gap, we used a mycorrhiza-explicit soil biogeochemical model, Myco-CORPSE (Mycorrhizal Carbon, Organisms, Rhizosphere, and Protection in the Soil Environment), to simulate tree carbon allocation to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi in temperate forests.The dataset includes outputs from two sets of model simulations:1. Perturbation experiments: Simulations across gradients of ECM dominance (0–100%), nitrogen deposition, soil temperature, and net primary productivity (NPP) to test how these factors affect mycorrhizal C allocation and nutrient cycling.2. FIA-based simulations: Model applications to over 1,800 U.S. forest sites using site-specific data from the U.S. Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, including vegetation composition, mycorrhizal type, climate, litter traits, soil properties, and N deposition.Model outputs include simulated mycorrhizal carbon allocation and related biogeochemical variables, such as soil and microbial carbon and nitrogen stocks. Data are provided in CSV format and organized by experiment type (in separate ZIP files). Python scripts for running simulations, plotting, and spatial mapping are also included and organized similarly. No proprietary software is required. These outputs support a peer-reviewed study and were used to generate figures and tables in the associated publication.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Carl T. Hayden Veterans Affairs Medical Center: Smart Buildings Case Study

The purpose of this smart buildings case study is to showcase a leading example of a GEB renovation project in the federal buildings space and provide key information on the technology and control upgrades, costs, and energy and utility bill savings. This case study also provides information and recommendations for selecting energy conservation measures (ECMs) and choosing energy and cost reduction strategies from the energy management team at the site. The findings from this successful GEB project can be used to help pave the way for additional GEB retrofits in the future. The Carl T. Hayden Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, demonstrates that GEB strategies and technologies can be realistically deployed today across buildings with substantial energy and cost savings. The project implemented both ECMs and grid-interactive technologies and controls strategies, making it a leading example of a smart, sustainable, and efficient commercial building.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Propane Activation on Pt Electrodes at Room Temperature: Quantification of Adsorbate Identity and Coverage

Abstract C−H bond activation is the first step in manufacturing chemical products from readily available light alkane feedstock and typically proceeds via carbon‐intensive thermal processes. The ongoing emphasis on decarbonization via electrification motivates low‐temperature electrochemical alternatives that could lead to sustainable chemicals production. Platinum (Pt) electrocatalysts have shown activity towards reacting alkanes; however, little is known about propane electrocatalytic activation and conditions suitable for enabling selective oxidation to valuable products. Herein, we utilize a combination of electrochemical mass spectrometry (ECMS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate the potential dependence of propane activation on Pt electrocatalysts. Results show a strong dependence of adsorption on the applied potential in room‐temperature aqueous acidic electrolyte, with a maximum coverage of propane‐derived adsorbates at 0.30 V vs RHE. Using charge deconvolution and deuterated experiments, the mechanism of adsorption was elucidated, and C 3 H 2 * was determined as the average dehydrogenated propane‐derived adsorbate species. DFT calculations further corroborate these results, showing that the formation of deeply dehydrogenated species is energetically accessible at room temperature. The combined theoretical and experimental findings yield insights for selective activation of paraffinic C−H bonds at room temperature, aqueous conditions—a critical step towards decarbonized chemical manufacturing.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2026

AutoBEM: A scalable framework for nationwide building energy simulation and retrofit evaluation in the United States

This paper presents AutoBEM, an integrated, automated framework for nationwide building energy modeling and retrofit evaluation in the United States. Unlike prior UBEM platforms that either rely primarily on representative stock sampling or operate at city scale, AutoBEM automates the generation of building-resolved, physics-based EnergyPlus/OpenStudio simulation models at national scale using GIS-derived geometry, prototype-based assumptions, and standardized scalable workflows. Leveraging the Model America dataset and high-performance computing, AutoBEM generates and simulates energy models for 122.9 million buildings, representing 97.8% of the U.S. building stock. These models are being made publicly and freely available as the Model America v1.0 (MAv1) dataset. AutoBEM supports detailed, building-level assessments of energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and post-processed anthropogenic heat emissions (AHE), and evaluates 151 energy conservation measures (ECMs) using localized utility pricing and building characteristics. In addition, AutoBEM incorporates both typical and future climate conditions through integration with Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) and Future TMY (fTMY) weather data derived from IPCC scenarios. In a case study of Phoenix, Arizona, AutoBEM identified several high-efficiency HVAC upgrades and selected envelope measures with short modeled payback periods (1.5 years) for certain building types and standards. Simulations under future climate scenarios (SSP5–RCP8.5) project an 11.3% increase in electricity use and a 32% reduction in natural gas demand by 2100, underscoring the need for climate-adaptive retrofit planning. By enabling reproducible, bottom-up, and location-specific analysis at scale, AutoBEM provides a step toward a national digital twin of the built environment and supports data-driven screening and planning for decarbonization, resilience, and energy equity.

Li, Hang [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000306001920)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Single cell RNA sequencing reveals shifts in cell maturity and function of endogenous and infiltrating cell types in response to acute intervertebral disc injury

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration contributes to disabling back pain. Degeneration can be initiated by injury and progressively leads to an irreversible loss of cells and function. IVD function restoration through cell replacement therapies have had limited success due to knowledge gaps in the critical cell populations important for repair. Here, in this study, we used single cell RNA sequencing to identify the transcriptional changes of IVD resident and infiltrating cell populations from Control and Injured coccygeal IVDs extracted from 12-week-old female C57BL/6J mice 7 days post injury. Clustering, gene ontology, and pseudotime trajectory analyses determined transcriptomic divergences with injury, flow cytometry identified they types of infiltrating immune cells, and immunofluorescence was utilized to define mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) localization. We identified 11 distinct clusters that included IVD, immune, vascular cells, and MSCs. Differential gene expression analysis determined that Outer Annulus Fibrosus, Neutrophils, Saa2-High MSCs, Macrophages, and Krt18 + Nucleus Pulposus (NP) cells were the major drivers of transcriptomic differences between Control and Injured cells. Gene ontology revealed that the most upregulated biological pathways were angiogenesis and T cell-related while wound healing and ECM regulation were downregulated. Pseudotime trajectory analyses revealed that IVD injury directed cells towards increased differentiation in all clusters, except for Krt18 + NP cells which remained in a less mature cell state. Saa2-High and Grem1-High MSCs populations shifted towards more differentiated IVD cells profiles with injury and localized distinctly within the IVD. This study revealed novel MSC populations with the potential to be leveraged for future IVD repair studies.

Cartilage↗
DOE OSTI2026

N -Terminal Octylated Peptoid Hydrogels as 3D-Printable Cell Scaffolds and Proteolytically Robust Cargo Depots

Supramolecular hydrogels that mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) represent promising materials for tissue engineering and drug delivery. However, conventional hydrogels formed via the self-assembly of natural or synthetic building blocks often face a trade-off between biological functionality and biochemical stability, limiting their utility in long-term or protease-rich environments. Peptoids, a class of peptide-inspired, sequence-defined polymers, offer a compelling alternative due to their exceptional proteolytic resistance and bioactivity. Despite this potential, the development of supramolecular peptoid hydrogels has been hindered by the absence of backbone hydrogen bond donors, which limits long-range ordering necessary for efficient hydrogel formation. This work describes a short peptoid functionalized at the N-terminus with an octyl chain that readily self-assembles into hydrogels. Hydrophobic interactions among pendant octyl groups promote directional peptoid packing into highly ordered nanosheets, which interconnect to form a porous hydrogel network. These hydrogels exhibit tunable viscoelasticity, shear-thinning, and self-healing properties, enabling their use as inks for extrusion-based 3D printing. They support NIH-3T3 fibroblast adhesion, spreading, and proliferation, maintaining greater than 95% cell viability over 4 days. Moreover, the hydrogels retain their macroscopic integrity under protease-rich conditions, enabling sustained cargo release and uniform cellular uptake. Together, this study demonstrates a class of supramolecular peptoid hydrogelators that integrate biocompatibility, 3D printability, and proteolytic stability, providing a versatile platform for ECMmimetic scaffolds in regenerative medicine and long-term therapeutic delivery.

cargo delivery↗
DOE OSTI2026

FTIR imaging identifies alterations in lung tissue structure and biochemical composition in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, and fatal lung disease characterized by damage to the epithelial tissue and a reduced ability of the alveoli to repair themselves. This impaired repair process leads to abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), resulting in scarring and stiffening of lung tissue. Fourier transform infrared imaging (FTIRI) is a promising technique for imaging the biochemical changes related to fibrotic changes in a label-free and non-destructive manner, which can be analyzed to mark the progression of IPF. In this study, FTIRI was used to image human lung tissue biopsies with IPF and control biopsies without disease. In-depth spectral analyses were performed to observe the biochemical changes in the tissue composition using FTIRI. The parameters that were analyzed included collagen structure, total lipid content, lipid chain length, and phospholipids. Results showed a significant increase in lipid content in IPF compared to control, where long chain lipids dominated and phospholipids were reduced. Minor changes in collagen structure were also observed in IPF, likely attributed to the excess formation of extracellular matrix in the disease. These findings indicate that FTIRI has the potential to be a promising diagnostic technique to understand the molecular changes during IPF, as analysis of infrared data can reveal detailed biochemical information regarding disease progression and provide spatial insights on the molecular changes across the IPF lung tissue.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Evaluating the efficiency of touch-spun scaffolds in producing dense cell cultures for tissue engineering applications

Developing efficient scaffolds for long-term cell cultivation remains a challenge in tissue engineering. Biomimetic approaches aim to create a three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrix (ECM)-like fiber network with a tunable hierarchical structure to promote sufficient cell attachment, differentiation, and overall viability. Among the fiber fabrication methods documented in the literature, mechanical fiber drawing techniques, such as touch-spinning, have garnered significant research interest. This is due to the simplicity of the equipment, the ability to control fiber diameter and interfiber spacing at the nanoscale without the need for external fields, and the absence of specific requirements for material dielectric properties. Despite the advantages of mechanically drawn scaffolds in biomedical research, the methodologies for cell culturing and analysis for these materials have not been adequately addressed. In this study, we assess the potential of touch-spun scaffolds in promoting NIH/3T3-GFP fibroblast cell growth for tissue engineering applications. Polycaprolactone/polyethylene oxide (PCL/PEO)-based fiber arrays with a controlled interfiber spacing of 91.9 ± 25.0 μm (N = 50) were fabricated using a modified touch-spinning apparatus and then assembled into 2D and 3D scaffolds through additive manufacturing technology. A comparative cell analysis conducted for single- and multi-layered structures showed that the 3D touch-spun scaffolds support healthy growth of up to 6.5 million fibroblast cells within 21 days and offer enhanced cell viability compared to conventional 2D fiber scaffolds, as confirmed by the Presto Blue assay. Furthermore, the metabolic activity of fibroblasts on 3D scaffolds assessed by the MTT test is approximately four times higher than that of the positive control, making the 3D touch-spun materials ideal for long-term cell culture applications.

Peranidze, Kristina [University of Georgia, Athens↗
DOE OSTI2024

Abstract for CRADA between National Energy Technology Laboratory and Carbon To Stone, Inc.

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and Carbon To Stone (CTS), Inc. (Participant) will collaborate on a techno-economic assessment (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) of CTS’s carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology under an awarded project from the Department of Energy’s Direct Air Capture Pre-Commercialization Technology Prize. CTS has developed a technological platform that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from air and mineralizes it into durable carbonates using alkaline industrial residues such as steel slag and mine tailings. In addition, CTS’s technology uses electrochemistry to recover value-added energy critical metals (ECMs) from these residues. NETL has expertise in CDR TEA and LCA development. The collaboration between CTS and NETL aims to quantify the performance, cost and lifecycle impacts of CTS’s technology and produce LCA and TEA models that can accelerate development and deployment of this technology.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Commissioning Guidance for Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs)

This Commissioning Guidance for Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) is DOE’s official guidance for ordering agencies under the current DOE ESPC IDIQ contract. This guidance document explains how commissioning of energy conservation measures (ECMs) and water conservation measures (WCMs) is incorporated into the ESPC process, roles and responsibilities in project commissioning, and key elements of commissioning. This document updates the previous version, released in 2015. This guidance can also be used as applicable in the development of ESPC ENABLE and UESC performance assurance plans.

Walker, Christine↗
DOE OSTI2026

Mechanism-Informed Breakdown: Understanding Degradation by Controlling Voltage-Hold Patterns in Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers

Low catalyst loadings pose challenges to performance stability in proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis over extended operation. To study the impact of degradation mechanisms and voltage loss rates, different stress tests are applied to membrane electrode assemblies. Potential cycling conditions were observed to induce higher degrees of iridium (Ir) oxide crystallization, ionomer degradation, and catalyst layer (CL) thinning, which likely contributed to higher kinetic loss rates. On the other hand, while Ir migrating into the PEM (Ir band) generally impairs performance, the interconnected and more uniform Ir band formed under a constant 2 V hold may allow for Ir at the catalyst/membrane interface to remain electronically connected and kinetically accessible, as well as indicate greater Ir site access during the applied stressor. The 2 V hold also demonstrates improved kinetic durability through a lower Tafel slope, faster polarization kinetics, and reduced charge transfer resistance. In contrast, potential cycling caused the migration of disconnected Ir agglomerates into the membrane bulk and created a steady increase in charge transfer resistance, a more dramatic decrease in capacitance (46.7% loss), and significant damage to the surrounding ionomer, indicating a decline in both the quality and quantity of active sites in the anode CL. This work underscores the distinct degradation pathways associated with load holds versus cycling, highlighting the role of catalyst-ionomer interactions in kinetic performance and long-term stability. These insights can inform operational strategies for PEM electrolyzers powered by intermittent energy sources, aiming to minimize efficiency losses over extended operation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Exercise alters molecular profiles of inflammation and substrate metabolism in human white adipose tissue

White adipose tissue (WAT) plays a significant role in whole body energy homeostasis, and its excess typifies obesity. In addition to WAT quantity, perturbations in the basic cellular processes of WAT (i.e., quality) are also associated with obesity and metabolic disease. Exercise training alleviates metabolic perturbations associated with obesity; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms that drive these metabolic adaptations in WAT are not well described. For this work, abdominal subcutaneous WAT biopsies were collected after an acute bout of exercise (1 day after) at baseline and following 3 wk of supervised aerobic training in sedentary overweight women (n = 6) without alterations in body weight and fat mass. RNA-seq, global proteomics, and phosphoproteomics in WAT revealed training-induced changes in 1,527 transcripts, 154 proteins, and 144 phosphosites, respectively. Training decreased abundance of transcripts and proteins involved in inflammation and components of the extracellular matrix and increased abundance of transcripts and proteins related to fatty acid esterification and lipolysis. In summary, short-term aerobic training significantly reduces local inflammation and increases lipid metabolism in WAT of sedentary overweight women—independent of alterations in body and fat mass. As such, some of the health benefits of aerobic training may occur through molecular alterations in WAT (i.e., enhanced quality) rather than a sheer reduction in WAT quantity.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optimizing Hydronic Heating for Comfort and Performance in Multifamily Housing

Inefficient control settings in multifamily boilers often lead to substantial energy and cost penalties. To address this, a Fault Detection and Diagnostic (FDD) tool was developed to automate data analysis and identify operational faults such as suboptimal outdoor temperature sensor placement, misconfigured outdoor air reset (OAR) curves, excess boiler cycling, and domestic hot water (DHW) setpoint errors. By comparing pre- and post-implementation periods and applying engineering models, the tool quantifies energy savings and reduces manual analysis time by over 90%. Testing on over 100 monitored sites and a targeted subset of 12 buildings showed an average 11% energy savings from remote optimization; further validation across 19 OAR curve changes confirmed the tool’s accuracy, predicting actual savings within ±5% for most cases. Simple payback can be under three years for many multifamily buildings, though rising hardware, labor, and fuel costs create uncertainties, and decarbonization goals increasingly shift focus to electrification. The FDD tool remains invaluable for optimizing existing boilers, enhancing future electrification measures, and adapting to new technologies by refining building load estimates. In doing so, it supports both near-term efficiency and long-term transitions to low-carbon alternatives, ensuring buildings achieve substantial cost and energy benefits throughout their system lifecycles.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗