Slipstream awarded Department of Energy Connected Communities grant to prove GEBs at scale

As part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Connected Communities Initiative, Slipstream was awarded over $5 million to establish a scalable business model for utilities to install demand flexibility and energy efficiency upgrades across multiple building sizes.

For this pilot, in partnership with Madison Gas & Electric and the City of Madison, we will convert approximately 15 facilities in Madison into grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) that save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Among other energy-saving strategies, the pilot will focus on optimizing buildings that connect with nearby electric vehicle charging stations.

As Scott Schuetter, principal engineer at Slipstream, told the Wisconsin State Journal, the ultimate goal is to reduce "energy consumption in commercial buildings which, to the building owner or tenant, is good from a cost-savings perspective. To the larger society, it’s good from a carbon emissions reduction perspective."

We hope this project will establish a scalable business model for GEBs that can put us on a faster path toward the decarbonization of all buildings, public and private.