Future Focus Initiative

Future Focus Process

Focus on Energy’s Future Focus process reviews new concepts and technologies that have the potential to expand the range and value of services available to Wisconsinites, as well as help the program achieve desired outcomes of energy savings, customer satisfaction, and/or market transformation. The process also helps test offerings for future expansion/inclusion in the Focus on Energy Program portfolio. The team screens these ideas every quarter. Any questions about future opportunities may be directed to focusinfo@focusonenergy.com.

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Active Pilots and Research Projects

VIRTUAL COMMISSIONING™ (VCx™)
The Virtual Commissioning (VCx) pilot provides an innovative way to help small to midsize businesses reduce their energy use.
Integrated Controls Pilot
This project researches the potentially deeper energy savings in networked lighting control (NLC) retrofits from lighting systems to enhance HVAC control strategies.
Affordable Housing- A Passive Building Pathway
This pilot demonstrates how Phius+2020 high performance building standards can deepen energy reductions and make affordable housing safer and healthier.
Life Sciences Midstream Pilot
This pilot incentivizes the purchase of energy efficient, ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers by life sciences companies in Wisconsin.
120v HPWH Research (Phase II)
Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) use heat pump technology to heat your water more efficiently.
Empowering Focus Trade Allies for Building Efficiency and Electrification Research
This project will research workforce gaps and skillset needs across the HVAC, air-sealing/insulation, and plumbing industries in Wisconsin.
Manufactured Homes Pilot
This pilots aims to reduce energy use and provide lower energy costs to manufactured home homebuyers, many of which will be low-to-medium income households. ​
Air-to-Water Heat Pump Field Study
Assessing air-to-water heat pump (AWHP) retrofits in existing and new construction for single and multifamily buildings.
Focus Force Milwaukee
The pilot will educate and train individuals from disadvantaged communities for careers in the energy efficiency industry.
Occupancy-Based Strategic Energy Management
A program to support commercial real estate properties in identifying and implementing energy saving improvements.

Completed Pilots and Research Projects

Completed EERD projects

Environmental & Economic Research and Development Program

Focus on Energy supports energy efficiency and renewable energy research through the Environmental & Economic Research and Development Program (EERD). EERD research projects allow Wisconsin to further its efforts towards reducing energy waste, costs, and environmental impacts. EERD projects are selected through a targeted competitive request for proposals (RFP) process that occurs approximately once per year. Focus on Energy also accepts research concepts or ideas on a rolling basis.

Energy Efficiency and Load Shaping

Energy Management Information Systems (EMIS)

Cold Climate Variable Refrigerant Flow

Single-Family & Multifamily Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP)

Dehumidification in Wisconsin

Emerging Technology

Archived Research Projects

Wisconsin Wastewater Treatment Plant Market Assessment
The evaluation team conducted a market assessment of Wisconsin’s wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) by analyzing response data from the Compliance Annual…
Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump Market Assessment and Savings Review Report
Market Research Author(s)Rich Hasselman & Steve Drake InstitutionTetra Tech DateFri, 12/30/2016 - 08:00Executive Summary Download: Ductless Mini-Split Heat…
Renewable Energy Assessment of Photovoltaics at High Penetration on Peak Demand and Annual Energy Use
Author(s) Klein, S.A., Reindl, D.T., Nellis, G.F. Institution UW-Madison, Dept. of Mech Engineering Executive Summary …
Commercial Light Level Analysis in Buildings
Author(s) Scott Schuetter Institution Seventhwave Date Wed, 10/31/2018 - 10:40 Executive Summary Light…
Renewable Energy Characterizing the Renewable Energy Landscape in Wisconsin
Author(s) Jonathan Hoechst & Lisa Stefanik Institution Tetra Tech Date Thu, 09/20/2018 - 08:40 Executive…
Mercury Mercury Chemistry in Power Plant Plumes
Author(s) Levin, Leonard Institution EPRI Executive Summary Download: Executive Summary [PDF] Full Report …
Program Design Wisconsin Building Code Analysis: Identifying Low-Cost, High-Impact Measures
Author(s) Hicks, Amalia; Linn, Graham; Morner, Svein; DeRocher, Andy; Harris, Alex Institution Sustainable Engineering Group, LLC Full…
Program Design Find and Flip: Motivating High Energy Users to Save Energy
Author(s) Keene, Ashleigh; Loew, Emily; Bensch, Ingo; Shukla, Raj; Kuntz, Kathy Institution Cool Choices and Energy Center of Wisconsin …
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