WHAT IS OPEN SOURCE?
Open source” means that the software code is publicly available so that anyone can contribute to the code base and create add-on extensions. This enables the growth of a market of providers that can offer hosting and add-on functionalities that can be utilized by all SEED Platform™ users. More information about open source principles can be found at the Open Source Initiative.
Source: https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/open-source-strategy