Nearly $130 devoted to energy efficieny, workforce issues

The Obama Administration recently announced a multi-agency initiative to spur regional economic growth while making buildings more energy efficient. Seven federal agencies today issued a combined Funding Opportunity Announcement of up to $129.7 million over five years to create a regional research center that will develop new building efficiency technologies and work with local partners to implement the technologies in area buildings. The Department of Labor press release can be viewed here.

The agencies are working together to leverage funding and resources to promote regional growth through an Energy Regional Innovation Cluster (E-RIC) that is centered around an Energy Innovation Hub focused on developing new technologies to improve the design of energy-efficient building systems. This Energy Innovation Hub, one of three proposed by the Administration and funded by Congress in the FY10 budget, will bring together a multidisciplinary team of researchers, ideally working under one roof, to conduct research and work to solve priority technology challenges that span work from basic research to engineering development to commercialization readiness.

"The Department of Labor will engage local and regional networks of Workforce Investment Boards and One-Stop Career centers to ensure that workers reap the maximum benefit from this initiative," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This alignment of federal agency resources will allow us to have an even greater positive impact along the full economic spectrum. It will also help reduce the energy costs of buildings while spurring the creation of new jobs in green and energy efficient industries."

"Regional innovation clusters create jobs and increase our global competitiveness. Through the Energy RIC, the SBA will help entrepreneurs and small business owners take the best research and commercialize it to grow the 'green building' industry into an economic powerhouse that will put people to work, save consumers money and help our environment," said U.S. Small Business Administrator Karen Mills.