Affordable Homes, Cooling Centers, and a Faster Grid? Yes, Please

A federal program called Innovation Incubator (IN2), run with the Department of Energy's National Laboratory of the Rockies, is funding four organizations to test new energy and housing technologies in real communities. On May 28, 2026, the program awarded a total of $750,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, National Grid, WinnCompanies, and Tucson Electric Power, each pairing with lab experts for six-month pilot projects.

In Los Angeles, Habitat LA will use AI planning tools and a mobile robotic microfactory to build affordable homes faster, aiming to help wildfire survivors rebuild after the Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed more than 13,000 homes. National Grid, which serves over 20 million customers in Massachusetts and New York, will test automated tools to connect new customers to the power grid without expensive upgrades, which could help hold down costs for existing customers too. WinnCompanies will install networked building controls in four multifamily buildings in the Northeast, aiming to cut energy use by 15% to 30% for residents, including seniors and military families, during high-demand winter periods. Tucson Electric Power will build a microgrid-powered cooling center in Pima County, Arizona, that can keep running during a blackout, addressing a rise in heat deaths.

None of this is a program homeowners can sign up for directly. It is early-stage testing meant to prove out these technologies before wider rollout, but the results could eventually shape rebuilding costs, grid connection fees, and heating and cooling programs in these regions.