DOE to award $250M to make federal buildings have net zero emissions

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will award $250 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help federal agencies implement net-zero building projects.

The funding program—Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT)—is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America initiative to address the climate crisis while creating jobs and growing the economy. The AFFECT program, managed by DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program, provides funding to federal agencies to help meet energy- and water-related goals.

“Collectively, U.S. Government agencies are the nation’s largest energy consumer, and they will play a major role in the U.S. meeting President Biden’s ambitious climate and clean energy goals,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “By leveraging the significant investments in President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Federal Government will lead by example, showing that everyone from homeowners to huge factories can conserve energy, switch to cleaner sources, and save taxpayers money.”

This funding opportunity seeks applications from federal agencies that would use the funding to make energy and water efficiency upgrades to new and existing federal buildings.

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is helping transform the Federal Government’s 300,000 buildings to be more energy efficient and climate resilient,” White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory said. “This investment will help achieve the President’s ambitious Federal sustainability goals while creating good-paying jobs, lowering energy costs, and building healthier communities.”

In December 2021, Biden issued an executive order calling for a 65 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from federal operations by 2030, 100 percent zero-emission vehicle acquisitions by 2035, and a net-zero emission building portfolio by 2045.