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An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Engineering Laboratory Fiscal Year 2014 (2015) / Chapter Skim
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2 Energy and Environment Division
Pages 13-20

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From page 13...
... Net-Zero Energy, High-Performance Buildings Program The program includes 12 projects distributed among four thrusts -- whole building metrics, envelope load reduction, equipment efficiency, and on-site energy generation -- all of critical importance for achieving the program objective of developing and deploying advances in measurement science to move the nation toward cost-effective, net-zero energy buildings while maintaining a healthy indoor environment. Accomplishments The program has focused on the measurement science necessary for the development of net-zero energy buildings with healthy indoor environments.
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From page 14...
... Examples include a new reference material for calibrating environmental chambers for emission testing; thermal insulation standard reference materials (SRMs) and the reference database for building insulation; and two standard reference databases for HVAC&R equipment using various refrigerants, Cycle D (SRD49)
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From page 15...
... It has six projects in four thrusts: system commissioning, automated fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) , intelligent agent-based optimization, and integration with smart grids, all of which are critically important in achieving the program's objective of developing and deploying advances in measurement science that will improve building operations to achieve energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and safety through the use of intelligent building systems.
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From page 16...
... Examples are the NZERTF, the smart building automation and control testbed, the mini breadboard heat pump, and the intelligent agent control laboratory, whose initial construction is under way. EED used the NZERTF to develop and demonstrate an approach to achieve net-zero energy performance in single-family residential houses under Washington, D.C., climate conditions.
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From page 17...
... Opportunities and challenges for the division include the need for collection of long-term energy and IAQ performance data at the NZERTF; field validation of models and measurement methods that are based on laboratory studies, such as the FDD evaluation and intelligent building agents; and development of metrics for concurrently evaluating IAQ and energy performance. PORTFOLIO OF SCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE Accomplishments The EED's yearly research portfolio selection and review process is clearly defined and followed; it includes quarterly reviews of programs and continuous milestone tracking.
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From page 18...
... In some cases, EED staff were able to leverage one-time funding opportunities -- for example using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to aid in the building of the NZERTF. The new facilities and equipment include the NZERTF, which was designed to improve and develop test methods and performance metrics for energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies and to examine system interactions; the mini breadboard heat pump, designed to measure the cycle performance of new refrigerants; the Solar Cell Spectral Response Measurement Facility, designed to measure the absolute spectral response of solar cells; the 500 mm guarded hot plate, designed to measure the thermal conductivity of insulation materials over a temperature range of 90 K to 900 K ; the Intelligent Agent Control Laboratory, designed to examine advanced intelligent control techniques; the VOC emission microchambers, designed to measure VOC emissions from building materials; and the particle image velocimetry equipment, designed to measure flow distributions of gaseous fluids.
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From page 19...
... ; EVAP-COND, for the design of heat exchangers (accessed through the NIST Internet site more than 1,200 times per year) ; the APAR air handling unit performance assessment tool; the APAR-DD dual duct air handling unit performance assessment tool; the VPACC variable air volume performance assessment control chart; the TPACC terminal unit performance assessment control chart; the FDD-EA fault diagnostics and detection expert assistant; and the HVAC-CX heating, ventilating, air conditioning commissioning software tool.
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From page 20...
... The Energy and Environment Division should more systematically disseminate its research findings and databases to targeted audiences, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) industry technical leaders, the architectural and design community, home energy raters, energy auditors, and university students.
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Key Terms

  • environment division
  • energy performance
  • indoor air
  • intelligent agent
  • building operation

  • intelligent controllers
  • air conditioning
  • nist internet
  • software tool
  • internet site

  • building energy
  • building automation
  • energy buildings
  • energy simulation
  • standard reference

  • measurement methods
  • unit performance
  • buildings program
  • control technologies
  • reliable data

  • reference materials
  • deploying advances
  • laboratory studies
  • dissemination methods
  • program focuses

  • spectral response
  • intelligent building
  • improving building
  • building envelope
  • improve building


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