Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings Made Easy: A GSA Building Manager’s Guide to Low- and No-Cost GEB Measures

This guide explains that grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) can reduce utility costs and greenhouse gas emissions by flexing energy loads based on grid price and carbon intensity. It identifies that buildings drive up to 80% of peak demand in the United States and lists low- and no-cost measures for GSA building managers, such as optimizing building operations, thermal mass, and lighting automation.

• Buildings are responsible for up to 80 percent of peak energy grid demand in the United States, making grid interactivity increasingly valuable as utilities adopt time-of-use pricing based on electricity cost or carbon intensity.
• Grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) are energy-efficient structures that adjust their energy load based on the carbon intensity or cost of grid electricity. By responding to minute changes in these factors, GEBs can lower utility costs and reduce grid-related greenhouse gas emissions.
• Building managers can implement several no- and low-cost measures to improve grid interactivity and load flexibility without affecting occupant needs. These measures include automating controlled lighting, maximizing existing storage capacity, and optimizing building operation relative to occupancy patterns, thermal mass, and control system algorithms/sequence of operations.

APA

RMI (2021). Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings Made Easy: A GSA Building Manager’s Guide to Low- and No-Cost GEB Measures. https://rmi.org/resources/grid-interactive-efficient-buildings-made-easy/

Chicago

RMI. Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings Made Easy: A GSA Building Manager’s Guide to Low- and No-Cost GEB Measures. 2021. https://rmi.org/resources/grid-interactive-efficient-buildings-made-easy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings Made Easy: A GSA Building Manager’s Guide to Low- and No-Cost GEB Measures |date=7 September 2021 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/grid-interactive-efficient-buildings-made-easy/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2021gridinteractive, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings Made Easy: A GSA Building Manager’s Guide to Low- and No-Cost GEB Measures}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2021}, month = sep, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/grid-interactive-efficient-buildings-made-easy/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }