The Electricity Infrastructure and Buildings Division’s six research groups solve national challenges in energy generation, distribution, and use. The groups are: Building Simulation & Design; Building Systems; Distributed Systems; Economics, Policy & Institutional Support; Electricity Security; and Optimization and Control. The groups comprise a wide range of capabilities and more than 400 experts who possess a common passion for innovation, collaborative problem solving, and making a difference in the world.

Building Simulation & Design

The Building Simulation & Design Group performs energy simulation, tool development, and workflow automation for energy policy impact analyses and integrative building design processes. The group's capabilities include: large-scale parametric building energy modeling; prototype building model development; data-driven design, validation, and verification of lighting and other electrical systems; and tool development for building performance evaluation and code compliance.
Staff studying building simulation

Building Systems

The Building Systems Group provides building and lighting science and engineering expertise for technology integration and performance validation for energy and water use at buildings and sites. The group's capabilities include: energy and water system performance evaluation methods for buildings and sites; approaches to optimize and manage energy and water use in buildings; technology testing and validation in lab and operational settings; and lighting science research and systems integration.
Stephanie Johnson of Building Systems Group

Distributed Systems

The Distributed Systems Group is focused on designing, testing, and applying edge solutions to enhance the resiliency and efficiency of our Nation's infrastructure and of distributed sites that rely on that infrastructure, while paving the way for integrating large numbers of devices into a holistic energy system. The group's capabilities include: renewables/technology integration; distribution system modeling and planning; grid architecture and system engineering; asset & portfolio valuation; and power electronics.
Staff member who works in distributed systems

Economics, Policy & Institutional Support

The Economics, Policy & Institutional Support Group offers energy system transformation and market transformation for advanced technologies through policy, analysis, and modeling, and deployment support. The group's capabilities include: institutional change support for federal and non-federal operations; policy alternatives and impact analysis; and economic analysis and valuation methodologies.
Building evaluation

Electricity Security

The Electricity Security Group provides innovative and impactful research to enable a secure, resilient, and flexible U.S. power system through the advancement of cybersecurity, reliability, and resilience methods. The group's capabilities include: cybersecurity; cyber-physical testbeds; power system modeling and simulation; and transmission reliability and resilience.
Staff member working in electricity security

Optimization and Control

The Optimization and Control Group develops methods, algorithms, and software tools for controlling and optimizing energy systems to enhance their reliability, resilience, and efficiency. The group's capabilities include: predictive analytics and learning-based control; distributed control and coordination; system-level optimization coupled with high-performance computing platforms; and scalable software applications that enable verification and validation of control system design.
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