As part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s efforts to improve the energy efficiency of the nation’s homes and buildings, lower energy costs, and enhance U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing, the Energy Department launched the new Buildings Crowdsourcing Community website last week. Administered by TAEBC member Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the new site, buildings.ideascale.com, will help technology innovators collect, share and evaluate input from customers and other stakeholders about next-generation building technologies.

Innovators including start-ups, designers, buildings scientists, and students can use the website to share ideas that could develop into new energy efficient technologies for homes and buildings.  Those interested in participating can register through the ORNL Buildings Crowdsourcing Community or they can vote on their favorite entries. The best ideas will be recognized during the Energy Department’s Building Technologies Office Industry Day hosted at ORNL in September.

The ORNL Buildings Crowdsourcing Community is now accepting new idea submissions, comments, and votes and submissions. The website will stay open until May 31, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Site members and users can still view the submissions, comments, and votes after May 31, but participation on the site will end after the submission timeframe expires.

For more information, click here.