Residential Capabilities
The NREL Residential Buildings group is an innovative, multidisciplinary team focused on accelerating the adoption of cost-effective energy efficiency technologies and practices into the U.S. home building and retrofit markets. Our researchers explore energy efficiency options for both new and existing homes, including whole-house performance and the interaction of building components.
We work to identify barriers and provide engineering solutions that support the nation's energy goals across the residential building sector. A primary research objective is the success of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Building America program, which partners with some of the nation's most forward-thinking building scientists, homebuilders, remodelers, and other stakeholders.
In addition to the core partnership with DOE, our team works with leading manufacturers, utility programs, other federal agencies, universities, and other groups to evaluate and deliver innovative solutions to residential building technical challenges.
Our team creates and delivers unique capabilities,
grounded in science, vetted by the construction industry,
and built on a longstanding collaboration with DOE and market leaders.
We evaluate and compare residential building products, systems, and strategies to understand interactions between components, develop whole-house strategies, and predict performance at various levels of energy savings. This work includes providing unique software solutions and data that are critical in developing new products and systems, designing new construction and home retrofit packages for cost-effective energy efficiency, and establishing performance targets and packages for energy efficiency programs.
BEopt™ (Building Energy Optimization)
Analyzes building designs and identifies optimal efficiency packages at levels of whole-house energy savings.
BESTEST (Building Energy Simulation Test)
Evaluates tools that model the envelope portion of building energy simulation programs.
National Residential Efficiency Measures Database
A centralized resource of residential building retrofit measures and associated estimated costs for the U.S. building industry.
Enables tracking of progress toward multiyear, residential energy efficiency research goals for existing and new construction, using a consistent reference point.
BESTEST-EX (Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes
Benchmarks home energy audit software and associated calibration methods.
A collection of residential building characteristics and historical energy use data to improve the accuracy of residential energy analysis tools.
Partner with us! Contact Dave Roberts.
We know measurement and verification. Our suite of laboratory and real-world testing capabilities are unmatched. From building components and systems to whole buildings, we deliver the accurate data necessary to develop and demonstrate better products, systems, and strategies that improve energy efficiency in homes. This includes working for utilities and manufacturers to conduct laboratory and field testing on novel technologies and systems. Lab testing provides accurate, third party performance maps, while field testing ensures that innovations can reliably deliver whole-house cost and performance benefits that maximize value and minimize risk.
Laboratory and testing capabilities that give partners and customers access to state-of-the-art equipment capable of analyzing a wide spectrum of technologies.
Field Test Best Practices Resource
Guidance on residential building field testing from start to finish, including planning, selecting equipment, testing, and analyzing results.
Technology Innovations
Technology and prototyping research that leads to award-winning, energy-saving building technologies.
Partner with us! Contact Dane Christensen.
We manage research programs, combining extensive technical expertise with the ability to evaluate, develop, and coordinate complicated research efforts. This work integrates the full scope of technical capabilities offered by the NREL Residential Buildings Group, and has created strategic and highly collaborative multi-year programs with impactful results.
DOE's Building America Program
An industry-driven research initiative that develops innovative solutions to achieve significant energy and cost savings for homeowners and builders.
Utility Support
Help in assessing cost and performance improvements in homes across utilities' territories to reduce energy use and peak loads.
Roadmap that outlines optimal technology pathways to low-cost solar hot water heating systems with broad marketability.
Partner with us! Contact Stacey Rothgeb.
Working With Us
Learn more about NREL's residential building partnership opportunities.
NREL's buildings research supports the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office.