Finding the ‘next big thing’: US Department of Energy’s high impact technologies

This paper highlights the US Department of Energy’s commercial building technology impact framework, the High Impact Technology (HIT) Catalyst, which enables building owners and operators to readily find and take advantage of energy and cost savings available by using emerging or underutilised efficiency solutions – ie the ‘next big thing’. Currently, existing buildings are being upgraded at a rate of 2.2 per cent per year, while upgrades in newly constructed buildings are on average 17 per cent greater.7 The HIT Catalyst prioritises technologies with the highest potential impact while creating pathways for two-way transfer of information, continuous improvement and flexible ‘on and off ramps’ for new, or emerging, scientific advances and evolving market conditions. The HIT approach focuses on the development of the most effective and valuable efficiency information and the dissemination of that information through proven deployment pathways. Core requirements-based activities create access points to technical expertise, ensure year-to-year consistency and address targeted audiences and sectors. Most importantly, the HIT Catalyst collects important data on market conditions and produces measurable results that show the value of the ‘next big thing’ as it propagates into adoption. Key to this data collection are adoption campaigns, which support and recognise early adopters in growing exemplary practices, from small pilots to large procurements that drive down costs and provide the foundation for participation by others. The HIT Catalyst is meant to be a one-stop shop for the information, resources and access to expertise necessary to support organisational energy savings and sustainability goals.