Researchers from the Nationwide Renewable Vitality Laboratory (NREL) just lately introduced their experience in renewable vitality and vitality effectivity to over 2,600 dwelling efficiency and weatherization business professionals from throughout the nation on the 2023 Nationwide Dwelling Efficiency Convention (NHPC).

“Conferences like NHPC permit our researchers to convey cutting-edge analysis and revolutionary vitality conservation ideas on to business professionals, remodeling the best way dwelling and constructing vitality is conceptualized,” mentioned Achilles Karagiozis, director of the Constructing Applied sciences and Science Middle at NREL. “This was an unimaginable effort by our staff to showcase the work we’re doing right here on the lab and to construct new alternatives for business collaboration and partnership sooner or later.”

NREL researchers offered in 11 classes over the course of the convention, demonstrating the laboratory’s dedication to the equitable decarbonization of buildings and innovation in rising applied sciences like sensible houses. The next are quick summaries of the 11 classes.

Scaling Innovation Approaches Inside U.S. Division of Vitality’s (DOE’s) Weatherization Help Program
NREL lead: Chuck Kurnik

On this interactive preconference workshop that includes NREL senior engineer Chuck Kurnik (Vitality Safety and Resilience Middle), attendees heard from members in DOE’s Weatherization Help Program (WAP) who’ve applied revolutionary strategies, supplies, and approaches of their weatherization program. Attendees had the chance to alternate concepts and share their very own tales and views in breakout teams, in addition to find out how their state and different businesses or native WAP implementer might be able to work with NREL and Oak Ridge Nationwide Laboratory on WAP-funded pilot initiatives to scale revolutionary strategies all through the WAP community.

NREL and DOE Steady Enchancment Workshop
NREL leads: Allison Moe, Cory Chovanec, Jal Desai, Kiersten Kelley

Centered on the continual enchancment of the WAP, this preconference workshop featured venture supervisor Allison Moe (Constructing Applied sciences and Science Middle), researcher Cory Chovanec (Strategic Vitality Evaluation Middle), researcher Jal Desai (Accelerated Deployment and Determination Help Middle), and venture supervisor Kiersten Kelley (Accelerated Deployment and Determination Help Middle). The workshop allowed stakeholders to debate challenges, limitations, and alternatives associated to contractor engagement and multifamily weatherization. Suggestions from workshop members will probably be shared with DOE to tell program administration and steerage.

The Science Behind Insulation: In Cavities and Steady
NREL leads: Marcus Bianchi, Achilles Karagiozis

Senior analysis engineer and enterprise growth lead Marcus Bianchi (Constructing Thermal Vitality Science Group) and director Achilles Karagiozis led this session, which defined how thermal insulation works, together with the a number of modes of warmth switch that may happen inside it. Along with warmth switch, the session additionally explored an evaluation on moisture dynamics by way of insulated assemblies, presenting the advantages of steady insulation.

Air Ducts: Move and Thermal Efficiency
NREL lead: Marcus Bianchi

This seminar led by Marcus Bianchi mentioned air duct distribution sizing and insulation ranges in buildings. Evaluation on stress drop and warmth good points or losses was additionally mentioned, and presenters supplied suggestions on duct design and insulation.

Constructing for Progress: Weatherization Updates From NREL
NREL leads: Cory Chovanec, Jal Desai, Juliana Williams

NREL researchers Chovanec, Desai, and Juliana Williams (Strategic Vitality Evaluation Middle) shared details about current and future NREL initiatives in help of WAP. Progress updates on a number of NREL initiatives have been additionally supplied, together with workforce credentials, customary work specs, and visualization sources. Members have been inspired to share suggestions and new concepts that might be integrated into steady enchancment inside WAP.

Not Throwing Away Our Shot: How We Can Get Sensible Houses Proper and Why We Want To
NREL lead: Lieko Earle

This panel session, that includes NREL senior analysis engineer Lieko Earle (Residential Buildings Analysis Group), highlighted new alternatives obtainable by way of the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act and the Inflation Discount Act, in addition to implications for a way sensible houses can advance dwelling efficiency. This included an summary of the evolution of sensible houses over the previous decade, from vitality conservation to elevated emphasis on load flexibility. The panel additionally mentioned present gaps that should be addressed to make sure that sensible houses are an enabling agent for vitality affordability, vitality fairness, and resilience.

The Workforce and Weatherization Recruitment Problem: What’s Labored So Far?
NREL lead: Juliana Williams

Moderated by NREL researcher Juliana Williams, this panel of weatherization stakeholders mentioned profitable workforce growth practices, initiatives, and sources from throughout the nation. Members related with their friends on this interactive session and realized concerning the completely different choices which can be getting used to bolster hiring and encourage retention.

Higher, Stronger, Sooner—Dwelling Vitality Rating Instrument Enhancements Provide Extra Alternatives for Vitality-Effectivity Upgrades
NREL lead: Noel Merket

NREL researcher Noel Merket (Residential Buildings Analysis Group) mentioned the previous, current, and way forward for the Dwelling Vitality Rating™, together with its affect out there and modernizing the modeling by transitioning to EnergyPlus™. This presentation additionally lined future efforts to implement multifamily and manufactured housing, electrification improve suggestions, and aligning the instrument with Inflation Discount Act rebate calculations.

Sensible Dwelling Options for Multifamily Buildings
NREL leads: Lieko Earle, Bethany Sparn

This panel, which was moderated by Bethany Sparn (Residential Buildings Analysis Group), explored a number of completely different sensible dwelling know-how classes which can be nicely fitted to multifamily functions. Panelist Lieko Earle described a present NREL venture testing infrared-enabled related thermostats which can be designed to work with minisplit warmth pumps and legacy window air conditioners to supply related functionalities equivalent to scheduling, geofencing, and integration with smart-home hubs. Earle’s presentation defined how this suite of merchandise might assist decrease residential vitality payments by offering a reasonable resolution for including sensible controls to heating/cooling models that don’t work nicely with conventional central sensible thermostats.

The Greatest and the Brightest: New Built-in Dwelling Options
NREL lead: Bethany Sparn

Organized by the Consortium for Vitality Effectivity (CEE), this session described the Built-in Dwelling Competitors, which identifies and helps newly obtainable merchandise that assist obtain snug, handy, and related sensible houses whereas specializing in vitality and cargo flexibility. Sparn spoke about her expertise supporting the CEE competitors as a choose and highlighted alternatives to evolve the competitors in subsequent years.

Installer Badges Toolkit and Visualization Sources
NREL lead: Jal Desai, Cory Chovanec

This session, offered by Desai and Chovanec, launched the Installer Badges Toolkit. NREL and WAP collaborated with the house retrofit business to create this toolkit, which consists of 25 badges, every representing completely different energy-efficiency duties that an installer might carry out on a house. Every badge defines the specified final result, standards to confirm the work, materials necessities, and references to DOE’s Commonplace Work Specs or different related requirements. Staff earn badges by finishing every process and receiving approval from a professional supervisor. The badges present a constant strategy to on-the-job coaching by making certain that installers are studying the identical expertise nationwide. The presentation lined subjects equivalent to how this toolkit may be personalized and applied in a program, the potential advantages of utilizing the badges, and classes realized from different implementers.

Initially revealed on NREL web site.