Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Base Support Building”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 577 records · Page 32

Pushing the Envelope—Moving Dynamic Building Envelope Thermal Energy Storage Systems Mainstream

Buildings contribute to nearly 40% of the U.S. national energy consumption and a significant portion of CO2 emissions. More importantly, disadvantaged communities are disproportionately affected by energy burden and thermal discomfort in their homes. This paper will discuss two novel DOE's BTO supported thermal energy storage (TES) integrated dynamic building envelope technologies, their ability to harvest ambient energy, and improve energy efficiency by reducing HVAC loads and peak electricity demand while enhancing energy and thermal resilience in buildings. The paper will also discuss the recent advancements that have made these systems more affordable and easier to integrate into new and existing buildings. The first solution is a thermally anisotropic building envelope (TABE) system that can redirect ambient thermal energy (heat or coolness) from diurnal outdoor conditions, solar irradiance, and night sky radiation from the envelope to a hydronic loop. The redirected thermal energy can be stored in a TABE-integrated thermal energy storage system and use the stored energy to offset HVAC energy use and peak demand. The second solution is an innovative plug-and-play thermal switch in the form of insertable plugs integrated with a phase change material (PCM). The plug can vary its thermal resistance based on the indoor and outdoor conditions, thus allowing preferential directional heat flow, and enhancing utilization of free ambient cooling and heating to charge/discharge the PCM, much like a solid-state economizer. While the fist solution can be actively controlled, the second solution is passive, requiring no external power, and work solely based on the ambient temperature.

Shrestha, Som↗

Assessment of the Distributed Ledger Technology for Energy Sector Industrial and Operational Applications Using the MITRE ATT&CK® ICS Matrix

In recent times, Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) has gained significant attention for its potential application in the energy sector. Utilizing blockchain and DLT has demonstrated the ability to enhance the resilience of the electric infrastructure, which will support a more flexible infrastructure and advance grid modernization. However, the deployment of these technologies increases the overall attack surface. The MITRE ATT&CK® matrices have been developed to document an adversary’s tactics and techniques based on real-world observations. The MITRE ATT&CK® matrices provide a common taxonomy for offense and defense and have become a valuable conceptual tool across multiple cybersecurity disciplines for conveying threat intelligence, performing testing through red teaming or adversary emulation, and enhancing network and system defenses against intrusions. The MITRE ATT&CK® for Industrial Control Systems (ICS) matrix was created to provide knowledge about adversary behavior in the ICS technology domain. This study analyzes the relevance of various tactics and techniques across a seven-layer DLT engineering and cybersecurity stack, known as the DLT stack, designed by the Cybersecurity Taskforce under IEEE P2418.5 - Standard for Blockchain in Energy working group sponsored by Power and Energy Systems - Smart Buildings, Loads and Customer Systems (PES/SBLC) Technical Committee. Additionally, this paper identifies specific mitigation strategies tailored to the energy ICS environment

42 ENGINEERING↗

Energy savings and life cycle cost analysis of advanced double skin facade system applied to old apartments in South Korea

South Korea is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, and the population density in urban areas is much higher among others. Apartments are the most common form of residential buildings due to their high population density. More than 60% of domestic residential buildings are apartments, with more than 10 million households. The high population density is a problem that has long plagued South Korea because more than 45% of apartments are old apartments that are more than 20 years old. Old apartment buildings have low thermal performance that results in lots of energy consumption. Balconies, which worked as a thermal buffer, are also being removed by residents to expand indoor space. According to the green remodeling project supported by the Korean government, the typical retrofitting method is replacing external windows with the high-efficiency window in old apartments in South Korea. Here, this paper proposes a retrofitting method using an extended double-skin façade (DSF) system that replaces exterior windows and acts as a thermal buffer. The simulation model is developed with the EnergyPlus simulation program to conduct energy performance analyses. The simulation model has been calibrated using actual experimental data collected between October 1, 2019, and January 15, 2020. Results show that the cooling, heating, and lighting energy can be reduced up to 44.1% by fully utilizing electric energy generated by solar PV panels integrated with the DSF system. The payback period is about 15 years based on the energy price provided by the utility company. Although the payback period is long, it has great potential of energy savings and CO 2 emission reductions. The DSF system should be considered as a way of renovation, considering other factors such as increased real estate values and energy cost increases in the future.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

An Authentication Vulnerability Assessment of Connected Lighting Systems

Emerging connected lighting systems (CLS) that incorporate distributed intelligence, network interfaces, and sensors can become data-collection platforms that enable a wide range of valuable new capabilities as well as greater energy savings in buildings and cities. However, CLS technology is currently at an early stage of development, and its increased connectivity introduces cybersecurity risks that are new to the lighting industry and that must be addressed for successful integration with other systems. While a number of existing frameworks, guidelines, and tests for evaluating cybersecurity vulnerability may apply to CLS in whole or in part, there is currently no mandatory requirement for cybersecurity testing or certification. The lighting industry, including technology developers and specification organizations, is currently evaluating the suitability of existing frameworks and guidelines for CLS. To support these efforts, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is conducting a series of studies intended to educate lighting industry stakeholders on specific cybersecurity practices and characterize their implementation in commercially available CLS with varying system architectures, network-communication technologies, and degrees of maturity. This study demonstrates that tests for authentication vulnerabilities can be developed with objective pass/fail criteria, therby facilitating comparisons between CLS. Based on the limited results of this study, it appears that the CLS that are being brought to market have varying levels of authentication vulnerability. It is hoped that these evaluations will support and perhaps accelerate industry discussions on the risks of specific security vulnerabilities, what vulnerabilities should be addressed by in-development of future lighting-specific best practices, and whether any such practices should be included in voluntary lighting standards.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Multimode Strong Coupling in Cavity Optomechanics

Optomechanical systems show great potential as quantum transducers and information storage devices for use in future hybrid quantum networks. In this context, optomechanical strong coupling can enable efficient, high-bandwidth, and deterministic transfer of quantum states. While optomechanical strong coupling has been realized at optical frequencies, it has proven difficult to identify a robust optomechanical system that features the low loss and high coupling rates required for more sophisticated control of mechanical motion. In this paper, we demonstrate strong coupling in a Brillouin-based bulk cavity optomechanical system in both the single-mode and the multimode strong-coupling regime, which leads to a useful device both for applications in quantum information and for investigating decoherence phenomena in bulk acoustic wave resonators. Using nontrivial mode hybridizations in the strong-coupling regime, we create hybridized photonic-phononic modes with lifetimes that are significantly longer than those of the uncoupled system. This surprising lifetime enhancement, which results from the interference of decay channels, showcases the use of multimode strong coupling as a general strategy to control extrinsic decoherence mechanisms. Moreover, phonons supported by such bulk-acoustic-wave resonators have a collection of properties, including high frequencies, long coherence times, and robustness against thermal decoherence, that make this optomechanical system particularly enticing for applications such as quantum transduction and memories. Hence, this system provides access to phenomena in a previously unexplored regime of optomechanical interactions and could serve as an important building block for future quantum devices.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Meta‐Analysis and Regression Modeling of the Impacts of Four Indoor Environmental Quality Metrics on Office Performance

Awareness of how buildings interact with the occupant experience—especially human performance—is becoming more prevalent, as seen by increasing interest and investment in healthy built environments. However, there is a need to synthesize the wide array of existing indoor environmental assessment and performance research in a way that can translate directly to building design and operation. Existing research in this area typically focuses on a single isolated metric and has not focused on making the results utilizable by building practitioners. The aim of this research is to investigate existing office performance literature through meta‐analyses and produce regression models for four indoor environmental quality (IEQ) metrics to support critical decision‐making for building operation and renovation. To reach this aim, a literature review was conducted to identify studies that measure the impact of changing ventilation rate, temperature, horizontal illuminance, and noise level in offices on occupant task performance. This repository of field and laboratory studies was analyzed to visualize the trends between the selected IEQ metrics and task performance. The temperature, ventilation rate, and horizontal illuminance regression models showed clear improvement potential when modifying indoor conditions toward the defined high‐performance range, while the regression model for noise level was inconclusive. The discussion notes the importance of designing holistically for all components of these IEQ categories to utilize the results, for example, good filtration on outdoor air for quantifying ventilation impact and uniform overhead lighting with low contrast for quantifying horizontal illuminance impact. The novelty of this work is in considering multiple facets of the indoor environment under a single, unified analysis schema and producing IEQ‐based performance gains that can directly inform cost‐benefit analyses of building design and renovation.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SolarAPP+ Pilot Analysis: Performance and Impact of Instant, Online Solar Permitting

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) led a collaborative effort to develop the Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+), a no-cost solar permitting software solution to address residential solar photovoltaic (PV) permitting resource constraints and streamline solar adoption processes among authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs). The SolarAPP+ is an online portal that automates permit plan review, enabling an instant permit approval process for code-compliant residential PV systems. Based on national model building, electrical, and fire codes, the SolarAPP+ automatically performs a compliance check of permit inputs against code requirements and produces an inspection checklist that can be used to verify installation practices, workmanship, and adherence to the approved design. NREL conducted a two-phase pilot with five participating AHJs and 16 solar contractors, spanning from November 2020 through December 2021, evaluating the ability of SolarAPP+ to deliver instant permits and its impact on four critical areas within each AHJ: permit review timelines; solar adoption timelines; AHJ time saved; and inspection results. The pilot confirmed that SolarAPP+ reduced permit review times to less than one day, reduced solar adoption timelines by an average of 12 days, saved an estimated 2,067 staff hours, and had comparable inspection results to those found in traditional permitting. The pilot further identified key lessons for improving SolarAPP+, including ways to streamline SolarAPP+ adoption, development of training resources, and expansion of supported products.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Wind and Solar Hybrid Power Plants for Energy Resilience

Wind-solar-storage hybrid power plants represent a significant and growing share of new proposed projects in the United States (U.S.). Their uptake is supported by increasing renewable energy market share, technical abilities for dispatch and control, and decreasing wind, solar, and battery storage costs. Simultaneously, generation and storage resources are increasingly used in distributed power systems. While concerns around the reliability of the aging, transforming U.S. electric grid are growing, diversifying energy resources through hybridization or spatial distribution provides an opportunity to enhance power system resilience compared to single-source generation. Understanding where to build hybrids for resilience value, rather than bulk power supply, has not been fully explored in previous studies. Therefore, in this study, we complete a national complementarity analysis to identify areas in the U.S. that are particularly suited for wind-solar hybrid power plant development. We show the importance of seasonal and diurnal patterns in assessing complementarity, and identify that regions in the Great Plains, Midwest, and Southeast are particularly suited for hybrid power plants. We demonstrate the resilience value of hybridization for a reference system based near Memphis, Tennessee, and show optimal sizing of wind, solar, and storage assets given 1.0 and 0.9 critical load factors. Results indicate that pairing wind and solar assets better meet constant load demand and reduce storage requirements compared to solar alone. These results enable future work integrating complementarity metrics in resilience frameworks and indicate a need for more finer resolution of local resource, demand, and hazard data.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicle Powertrain Electrification and Fleet Demonstration

The Contract Award Grant # EE0007513 dated 2 June, 2016 is for the design, development and demonstration of medium duty package delivery vehicles that will result in a 100% increase in fuel economy as measured in miles per gallon. The project was proposed in 3 phases over two budget periods. The Phases were: 1. Modeling and Simulation – This phase was completed and formed the basis of the specifications for the design and build of the physical systems. The modeling and simulation was conducted by AVL and used real world package delivery routes that AVL mapped. The motors, battery pack, range extender and balance of plant support systems were modeled and iterated until a system with the desired fuel economy improvement was realized. Early design of the major subsystems using the actual vehicle space constraints was also completed. This phase was successfully completed in May of 2017. 2. 1st Build and FE Confirmation - This phase was completed and resulted in the final design, release, procurement and build of all major vehicle systems for commissioning into the first vehicle. The work was a partnered effort between McLaren and AVL. McLaren built the eAxle system while AVL built the range extender and integrated the range extender, battery and balance of plant sub-systems into the first vehicle with a control system to make it operate. Prior to the end of this phase a real world HIL system test gave evidence that the fuel economy improvement would be achieved in the real world. This phase was exited with a 7 month delay due mostly to procurement and supply base issues and ended in May, 2018. 3. Final Build and Demonstration - This phase included the final build and commissioning of the four program vehicles and the operation of a demonstration on a set of routes near San Diego California. During this phase, a multitude of issues arose in different systems in the vehicle. These issue resolution exercises were quite complex and caused repeated delays but were all successfully completed. It should also be noted that an early commercialization analysis resulted in the conclusion that the complexity of the system would not make it cost effective, leading to the start of a follow-on design that used newly available component technologies to specify a more cost effective system. This design will be repurposed and put into demonstration on a separately (non-DOE) funded program. It was decided and agreed with DOE that this phase should be considered completed. The knowledge and know-how gained on this program has been incorporated into and transferred to the new program. This phase and the entire program was considered closed on June 1, 2021.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Post-closure Nuclear Criticality Safety Evaluations for Disposition of Criticality Control Overpacks at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a geological repository in southern New Mexico that provides for disposal of transuranic (TRU) wastes from atomic energy defense activities. The Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) Report, Consideration of Nuclear Criticality When Disposing of Transuranic Waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, addresses nuclear criticality safety based on the projected inventory characteristics for the initial compliance certification application of WIPP in 1996. As the inventory, waste forms, and disposal package designs change, revised or new analyses are necessary to demonstrate acceptability for these configurations within the WIPP safety basis and compliance with 10,000-year post-closure standards of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Saylor and Scaglione evaluated criticality control overpacks (CCOs) in 2017 based on conservative assumptions for post-closure repository structural conditions with resulting effects on containers and container spacing, The Saylor and Scaglione evaluation of CCOs addressed a single waste configuration that represents the Surplus Plutonium Disposition Program’s dilute and dispose waste form and composition. This initial CCO study demonstrated that 50 grams of boron carbide (B 4 C) per CCO is sufficient to ensure post-closure criticality safety based on a well-mixed waste composition, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) subsequently determined that this amount of B 4 C does not require constraints on moisture or plastic present as moderator. The Saylor and Scaglione analysis conservatively assumes repository room closure that eliminates all space between fissile gram equivalent (FGE) 239 Pu masses. The close-packed array was selected based on limited availability of repository salt creep modeling results at that time. In 2019, Brickner provided additional evaluations for pipe overpack containers (POCs), building on the conservative basis provided by Saylor and Scaglione. Brickner’s 2019 analysis made use of new geomechanical data for post-closure spacing that rely on advances in repository modeling as documented in the work by Reedlunn and Bean. This current CCO evaluation for generic waste materials expands on earlier work performed at ORNL and includes evaluation of CCOs across a much broader range of possible waste compositions and geometries. This evaluation is intended to provide input for the required feature, event and process (FEP) screening to determine if post-closure criticality must be included as an event in the 10,000-year regulatory evaluation. As such, the approach to modeling post-closure criticality presented in this report has been coordinated with the Sandia team responsible for FEP screening. The resulting analysis supports disposition of fissile materials in the CCO containing up to 380 FGE 239 Pu and expands conditions acceptable for disposal of fissile material in CCOs. This evaluation builds on the methodology of Saylor and Scaglione and Brickner, using the most recently available geomechanical data for CCO spacing under salt creep compaction scenarios provided by Reedlunn and Bean. The broad range of fissile material configurations analyzed in this report are intended to account for configurations that may occur during the post-closure disposal time period, and it also includes waste configurations that are not physically possible to support analysis of conditions that influence neutron fluence.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Facile polymerization in a bicellar template to produce polymer nano-rings

We report a well-defined discoidal bicelle composed of three lipids, specifically zwitterionic long-chain 1,2-dipalmitoyl phosphocholine (DPPC) and short-chain 1,2-dihexanoyl phosphocholine (DHPC) doped with anionic 1,2-dipalmitoyl phosphoglycerol (DPPG) provides a generalized template for the synthesis of hydrophobic polymer nano-rings. The lipid molar ratio of DPPC/DHPC/DPPG is 0.71/0.25/0.04. The detailed investigation and discussion were based on styrene but tested on three other vinyl monomers. The structure of nano-rings is identified through the detailed analysis of small angle X-ray/neutron scattering (SAXS and SANS) data and transmission electron micrographs (TEM), supported by the differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) data before and after polymerization. The investigation covers samples with a styrene-to-lipid ratio ranged varied from 1:50 to 1:10.The styrene monomers are initially located at both the discoidal planar (long-chain lipid rich) and rim (short-chain lipid rich) regions. During polymerization, they migrate to the more fluid rim region-section. The formation mechanism involves the interplay of hydrophobic interaction, mismatched miscibility of polystyrene between the ordered and disordered phases, and crystallinity of the long lipid acyl chains. This facile synthesis is proven applicable for several hydrophobic monomers. The well-defined nano-rings greatly enhance the interfacial area and have the potential to be the building blocks for functional materials, if monomers are incorporated with desirable functions, for future applications. Crosslinked polymer nano-rings are produced in well-defined discoidal bicelles. The enhanced immiscibility in the planar region drives the hydrophobic polymers to the fluidic rim. The platform can be generalized for synthesis of other hydrophobic polymer nano-rings.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

JHTDB-wind: a web-accessible large-eddy simulation database of a wind farm with virtual sensor querying

This paper introduces JHTDB-wind (https://turbulence.idies.jhu.edu/datasets/windfarms, last access: 11 November 2025), a publicly accessible database containing large-eddy simulation (LES) data from wind farms. Building on the framework of the Johns Hopkins Turbulence Database (JHTDB), which hosts direct numerical simulation (DNS) and some LES datasets of canonical turbulent flows, JHTDB-wind stores the 4D space–time history of the flow and provides users the ability to access and query the data via a web-based virtual sensor interface. The initial dataset comprises LES results from a large wind farm with 10×6 turbines, modeled using a filtered actuator line method, under conventionally neutral atmospheric conditions. These data comprise 1 h (hour) of flow field data (velocity, pressure, potential temperature deviation, subgrid-scale (SGS) eddy viscosity, and turbine forces, approximately 15 TB (terabytes) and wind turbine data – including both turbine-level operational quantities and blade-level aerodynamic quantities (approximately 1.3 TB) – stored in Zarr and Parquet formats, respectively. Data retrieval is facilitated by the giverny Python package, allowing remote users to query the database in Python or MATLAB (C and Fortran support are available for flow field data). This paper details the simulation setup and demonstrates data access through examples that analyze wind farm flow structures and turbine performance. The framework is extensible to future datasets, including the JHTDB-wind diurnal cycle simulation analyzed in Xiao et al. (2025).

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Aligning NASA Earth Science Data Stewardship with FAIR Principles: Outcomes, Recommendations, and Future Directions

The FAIR Principles—Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable—offer a widely accepted framework for improving the sharing and reuse of digital scientific data by both human and machine users. Following these principles is critical for effective scientific data stewardship, broader scientific collaboration, and compliance with federal and agency data policies. This paper, based on the work of NASA’s Open, Free, and FAIR Working Group (O’FAIR WG) under the Earth Science Data Systems Program, presents an overview of how FAIR is being applied within NASA’s Earth science data landscape. It highlights ongoing progress and challenges, identifies FAIR-enabling resources, and offers recommendations and strategic actions to enhance the FAIRness of NASA-funded open and free Earth science data products. The FAIR-enabling resources identified underscore the vital role of NASA's existing enterprise processes, standards, tools, and infrastructures in supporting FAIR implementation. Our findings show strong performance in making NASA Earth science data more findable and accessible. However, further work is needed—especially in enhancing interoperability, so that different systems and tools can better understand and exchange data. This is especially important for enabling machine-driven discovery and analysis. We emphasize the importance of a balanced strategy that combines a centralized, top-down approach—focused on building enterprise-level capabilities and processes—with a decentralized, bottom-up approach driven by discipline-specific needs and community practices. We advocate for coordinated efforts to enhance (meta)data interoperability to facilitate seamless data and information sharing and exchange of Earth science data both within NASA and across other agencies managing Earth science data.

Data Product↗

Long-Range Exciton Diffusion in Two-Dimensional Assemblies of Cesium Lead Bromide Perovskite Nanocrystals

Förster resonant energy transfer (FRET)-mediated exciton diffusion through artificial nanoscale building block assemblies could be used as an optoelectronic design element to transport energy. However, so far, nanocrystal (NC) systems supported only diffusion lengths of 30 nm, which are too small to be useful in devices. In this work, we demonstrate a FRET-mediated exciton diffusion length of 200 nm with 0.5 cm 2 /s diffusivity through an ordered, two-dimensional assembly of cesium lead bromide perovskite nanocrystals (CsPbBr 3 PNCs). Exciton diffusion was directly measured via steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) microscopy, with physical modeling providing deeper insight into the transport process. This exceptionally efficient exciton transport is facilitated by PNCs' high PL quantum yield, large absorption cross section, and high polarizability, together with minimal energetic and geometric disorder of the assembly. This FRET-mediated exciton diffusion length matches perovskites' optical absorption depth, thus enabling the design of device architectures with improved performances and providing insight into the high conversion efficiencies of PNC-based optoelectronic devices.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Demonstrating Advanced Sensors for In-Situ Monitoring Towards Qualification of Nuclear Relevant Components

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMMT) program is pursuing qualification of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) components for nuclear applications. A major focus of this effort is the use of in situ process monitoring and machine learning–based tools to establish real-time quality assurance. The primary objective of this report is to identify and evaluate the most relevant in situ sensor systems for LPBF, and to document the deployment of these systems across platforms critical to the AMMT program. This work demonstrates how in situ monitoring can detect process anomalies, track geometry-dependent flaws, and identify limiting combinations of processing parameters—particularly those related to energy density and complex geometries (e.g., overhanging structures). To support this goal, a diverse suite of sensor modalities was evaluated across LPBF platforms, including visible and near-infrared (NIR) imaging, fringe projection profilometry, long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) thermography, and high-speed photodiode/pyrometry systems. These sensor streams were integrated with Peregrine, a machine-agnostic software platform that, among other capabilities, can generate real-time process anomaly classification. This report documents sensor deployments on multiple AMMT flagship platforms, including the Concept Laser M2 and Renishaw AM400/AM250 systems. Calibration builds with complex, flaw-prone geometries such as unsupported overhangs, stepped features, and thin walls, were used to evaluate how well Peregrine and its associated sensors could detect process anomalies and other instabilities under varied energy densities. It will be shown how Peregrine reliably identifies common process anomalies such as recoater streaking, superelevation, etc., and can be used in post-build analysis for anomaly spatial distributions throughout the build height to better understand the impact of geometry and processing parameter choice on the build. This work demonstrates measurable progress toward the vision that components can be born-qualified by establishing a real-time monitoring framework, identifying limiting process conditions, and laying the foundation for sensor fusion–enabled prediction pipelines that are scalable across platforms and applicable to nuclear-relevant components.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

TempestExtremes v2.1: a community framework for feature detection, tracking, and analysis in large datasets

TempestExtremes (TE) is a multifaceted framework for feature detection, tracking, and scientific analysis of regional or global Earth system datasets on either rectilinear or unstructured/native grids. Version 2.1 of the TE framework now provides extensive support for examining both nodal (i.e., pointwise) and areal features, including tropical and extratropical cyclones, monsoonal lows and depressions, atmospheric rivers, atmospheric blocking, precipitation clusters, and heat waves. Available operations include nodal and areal thresholding, calculations of quantities related to nodal features such as accumulated cyclone energy and azimuthal wind profiles, filtering data based on the characteristics of nodal features, and stereographic compositing. This paper describes the core algorithms (kernels) that have been added to the TE framework since version 1.0, including algorithms for editing pointwise trajectory files, composition of fields around nodal features, generation of areal masks via thresholding and nodal features, and tracking of areal features in time. Several examples are provided of how these kernels can be combined to produce composite algorithms for evaluating and understanding common atmospheric features and their underlying processes. These examples include analyzing the fraction of precipitation from tropical cyclones, compositing meteorological fields around extratropical cyclones, calculating fractional contribution to poleward vapor transport from atmospheric rivers, and building a climatology of atmospheric blocks.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Investigation and Demonstration of Reliability Target Allocation to Support Reliability and Integrity Management Program

Nuclear energy is the most reliable and environmentally sustainable energy source available today. In the United States (U.S.), nuclear-generated power accounts for approximately 20% of total electricity and over 55% of clean energy. New advanced reactors have enormous potential to help further decarbonize the energy market, enhance grid resiliency, create new jobs, and build a stronger economy. More than 50 new reactors are being developed in the U.S., and the federal government realizes an urgent need to deploy nuclear technologies to meet the country’s energy, environmental, and national security goals. As such, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched multiple programs to support advanced reactor deployment. The research described in this report explores implementation strategies for the Reliability and Integrity Management Program that directly supports the DOE goal to enable the near-term deployment of the advanced reactor technologies. The project is conducted under the Regulatory Development Program for advanced reactors sponsored by the DOE.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Final Technical Report

Statement of the problem or situation that is being addressed in your application. The DOE and its national laboratories developed the Home Energy Score™ (HES) to encourage homeowners to improve their energy performance, lower costs and to share energy information through the MLS listing, appraisal, and financing channels. While the HES is an instrumental tool, it is currently underutilized and consists of technical, structural and sector barriers which need to be addressed in order to scale and many energy efficiency contractors are understandably overwhelmed by the added time and effort and lack of incentive to sell and deliver deep retrofit projects while simultaneously meeting the DOE HES program requirements; consequently, contractors may decide to forgo participation. Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Raters have the opportunity to play the critical Assessor role in producing a Home Energy Score (HES); this role has immense potential but currently is unfulfilled. Lastly, while utilities are interested in their customer base achieving greater energy efficiency, especially to help offset growing residential loads in states like California that are accelerating electrification, utilities do not have access to the market actors who are on the front line of influence to homeowners or review and approve their permits: HERS Raters, assessors, contractors and building departments. General statement of how this problem is being addressed: ConSol will integrate the Home Energy Score™ (HES) to its State of California, approved home energy rating services (HERS) platform (CHEERS) to develop a single tool for contractors nationwide to assess, record and install recommended cost, energy, and emissions saving measures to the 140 million single-family homes throughout the U.S. and 14 million homes in California (CHEERS+HES). The CHEERS high fidelity energy code permitting data will be integrated with HES for simple, accurate, easy-to-use home energy estimation and analysis and will directly gain access to the retrofit and renovations markets with the same upgraded platform. This innovative project will assist the utilities in supporting existing homes in their jurisdictions with HES and develop measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. How is this problem being addressed? What is the overall project approach? In effort to expand the Home Energy Score™ (HES) by increasing the use of aggregable home energy asset data, ConSol proposes to integrate the DOE HES via Application Programming Interface (API) to its State of California approved home energy rating services platform (CHEERS). Once the CHEERS platform and HES are integrated (CHEERS+HES), this enhanced platform will be instantly available and actively deployed via Phase 1 pilot to HERS Raters, assessors and contractors in California to market-test the solution, understand the rate of adoption and identify opportunities for improvement prior to scaling nationally. The CHEERS high fidelity energy code permitting data will be integrated with HES for simple, accurate, easy-to-use home energy estimation and analysis and will directly gain access to the retrofit and renovations markets with the same upgraded platform. This innovative project will assist the building industry and homeowners with an easy-to-use assessment if energy and carbon impacts of existing homes, and assist the utilities in supporting existing homes in their jurisdictions with HES to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. What is to be done in Phase I? During Phase I of this proposed project, ConSol will (1) design software architecture that links CHEERS to the Home Energy ScoreTM via API, (2) solicit partnership from one or more California utilities for a regional pilot, (3) test the new software with its HERS Raters and contractor network in the partnership utility jurisdiction, (4) launch a pilot version of the newly developed software with HERS Raters and contractors in the utility territory, and (5) explore California’s GoGreen energy efficiency homeowner lending program in parallel with the pilot. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits. Summarize the future applications or public benefits if the project is carried over into Phase II or Phase III and beyond. The CHEERS+HES commercialized product will be ready for national market scale following a successful Phase 1 performance. The CHEERS+HES adoption is estimated to reach a 5% adoption growth rate versus the 110,000 baseline, starting in Year 1 after Phase I completion, and continuing each year. As a direct benefit to the DOE, CHEERS will set a goal of 100,000 Home Energy Score assessments for existing home alterations within the first 10 years following Phase 1 performance. The technical benefits of this proposed project include the harmonized, automated, and seamless integration of the DOE HES into the widely used and market leading California energy registry, CHEERS. The social benefits include the aggregate energy, cost and GHG savings by allowing the broader public streamlined access to the CHEERS+HES measurement and the energy efficiency recommended measures that may result. Key Words: Home Energy ScoreTM (HES); Application Programming Interface (API); Home Energy Rating Services (HERS); HERS Raters; contractors; assessors; existing homes, energy asset data; cost, energy, and emissions saving measures; energy code (Title 24) compliance; document repository; utilities; pilot; newly developed software; energy efficiency; homeowner. Summary for Members of Congress: The DOE Home Energy Score™ (HES) is a tool to encourage homeowners to improve their energy performance, lower costs and share energy information but is underutilized and consists of barriers which need to be addressed in order to scale. In effort to expand the HES, CHEERS, Inc. will integrate the HES to its State of California, approved home energy rating services (HERS) platform (CHEERS) to develop a single tool for contractors nationwide to assess, record and install recommended cost, energy, and emissions saving measures to the 140 million single-family homes throughout the U.S. and 14 million homes in California.

Application Programming Interface (API)↗