University Consortium Loses Out On Federal Funds For Efficiency

POTSDAM - A consortium that included Clarkson and Syracuse universities will not receive a more than $120 million federal grant to develop technologies to make buildings more energy efficient.

The Department of Energy announced this week that the five-year grant to develop an energy innovation hub will instead go to a team led by Pennsylvania State University. Clarkson and more than 100 organizations that made up the New York consortium had been among a dozen teams in the running for the award. "Of course it's disappointing, but that's the world we live in. The competitive edge is something we can never lose," Clarkson President Anthony G. Collins said.

"We need to quickly forget the past and maintain our collaboration. There are so many problems these days it makes sense to have groups work together."

Mr. Collins said he hasn't had a chance to digest what made the Penn State team rise to the top but noted that its members included Purdue University and Virginia Tech, among others.

"That's obviously a strong group," he said.

"We have not had a chance to get feedback from the New York proposal or get details from anyone else's proposal."

Members of the New York consortium could still be part of the innovation cluster that would develop and implement technology to improve energy efficiency in buildings, Mr. Collins said.

"Forty percent of all energy used is for heating and cooling buildings. It's a massive fraction," he said.

"Because it's such a significant area of research, there will be connections to some of the New York consortium."

Mr. Collins pointed to Syracuse's Center of Excellence as a building that should be used as a living laboratory.

And Clarkson has a number of faculty with nationally recognized expertise in measuring indoor air quality.

The New York consortium has nothing immediately identified as a future partnership but its members understand the importance of working together, Mr. Collins said.

"I think the group is going to reflect for a time and think about the opportunities," he said.