Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in cooperation with the Tennessee Valley Authority and Building America, has built three houses in Tennessee to different energy-efficiency specifications. The houses are fully instrumented and will be monitored un-occupied for several years. The energy modeling software used by ORNL allows scientists to input the energy load caused by virtual occupants in the homes. A cool metal roof is included on at least one of the homes in the study. Other energy saving appliances and systems are featured in the homes. The homes range in size from 2,400 to 2,500 square feet.
Researchers will use mechanical devices and control systems to simulate opening of the refrigerator, running clothes washer and dryers, and taking showers. Each home will be tested with the equivalent of low-energy–use and high-energy-use families based on national averages.