DOE Better Buildings Alliance — Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Partnership
U.S. Department of Energy — Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Free service
Researched for this program: 3 rejection traps · 2 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Free DOE expertise and national recognition for building energy leaders
The DOE Better Buildings Alliance connects commercial building owners, operators, and industry stakeholders with DOE technical experts, peer networks, and resources to accelerate energy efficiency adoption. Partners set voluntary energy and emissions reduction goals, receive 1-on-1 technical assistance, access to DOE National Laboratory expertise, peer-to-peer learning, technology validation, and national recognition. No cash is awarded — value is free expert guidance, technical tools, and market credibility. Over 165 commercial building organizations representing 11+ billion square feet have partnered.
- Funding type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Amount
- No cash grant. Value is delivered as: (1) free access to DOE technical experts and National Laboratory staff; (2) 1-on-1 account management support; (3) proprietary energy benchmarking and tracking tools; (4) priority access to pilot programs, field demonstrations, and beta technologies; (5) Better Buildings Award recognition program.
- Realistic amount
- Not a cash program. Partners have collectively reported over $24 billion in energy cost savings across the initiative, a…
- Deadline
- Rolling — applications accepted year-round
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- subsidized services
Who qualifies
DOE Better Buildings Alliance — Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Partnership is a federal program from U.S. Department of Energy — Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), open to businesses nationwide, with a published award of Free service. Deadline for DOE Better Buildings Alliance — Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Partnership: Rolling — applications accepted year-round. DOE Better Buildings Alliance eligibility is judged against 5 published criteria.
- Commercial building owner, operator, or industry stakeholder in the United States
- Must own or manage commercial building(s) in one or more of the five market sectors: retail and food service, commercial real estate, hospitality, healthcare, or higher education
- Must commit to participate in at least one Alliance program activity per year
- Must be willing to share energy performance data with DOE (aggregated, confidential)
- No minimum building size or portfolio size requirement
What it covers
DOE Better Buildings Alliance — Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Partnership is a federal program from U.S. Department of Energy — Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), open to businesses nationwide, with a published award of Free service. Deadline for DOE Better Buildings Alliance — Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Partnership: Rolling — applications accepted year-round. DOE Better Buildings Alliance covers 1 categories of eligible expense and excludes 1. Not a cash program. DOE Better Buildings Alliance pays out as a subsidized services. DOE Better Buildings Alliance — Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Partnership is listed as active in the GrantCompass catalog as of August 24, 2026.
Eligible expenses
- Not applicable — this is a free technical assistance and peer learning program, not a funding program
Ineligible expenses
- Not applicable — no funding is provided
How to apply
Applying to DOE Better Buildings Alliance — Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Partnership takes 4 steps; the award is Free service from U.S. Department of Energy — Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), open to businesses nationwide. Deadline for DOE Better Buildings Alliance — Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Partnership: Rolling — applications accepted year-round.
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1
Express interest and apply online
Visit betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/alliance/join and complete the online interest form, or email BBA@ee.doe.gov. Describe your building portfolio, market sector, and energy efficiency goals.
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2
Onboarding with DOE account manager
A DOE account manager contacts you to discuss your portfolio, goals, and how the Alliance can best serve your needs. You set voluntary energy reduction targets in consultation with DOE staff.
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3
Access technical resources and participate in activities
Access DOE's technical tools, peer learning webinars, technology campaigns, and National Laboratory expertise. Participate in at least one program activity per year (technology campaign, peer learning session, data contribution, etc.).
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4
Track progress and share results
Report energy performance data annually using DOE's tracking tools. DOE publishes aggregate partner progress in the annual Better Buildings Progress Report. Partners who achieve goals may receive Better Buildings Award recognition.
Alliance membership signals energy leadership to tenants, investors, and lenders — and gives you a direct line to DOE National Lab engineers who can answer complex technical questions for free.
Deadline & timing
DOE Better Buildings Alliance — Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Partnership is listed as active in the GrantCompass catalog as of August 24, 2026. Deadline for DOE Better Buildings Alliance — Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Partnership: Rolling — applications accepted year-round. DOE Better Buildings Alliance — Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Partnership awards Free service to businesses nationwide through U.S. Department of Energy — Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The DOE Better Buildings Alliance application runs to 4 steps. DOE Better Buildings Alliance sits at the federal level and is classified as a program. Free DOE expertise and national recognition for building energy leaders — that is DOE Better Buildings Alliance in one line.
Applications accepted on a continuous rolling basis. Email BBA@ee.doe.gov to express interest or apply online.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.