Appliances

Buildings consume 72% of the electricity and 58% of the natural gas used in the United States, using more energy and generating more carbon emissions than transportation or industry. Buildings of the future must incorporate reduced energy consumption, environmental stewardship, and indoor environmental quality, and must also be durable and affordable to the consumer. Our goal for building equipment is to meet energy service needs with much greater energy efficiency. A key element of our strategy for successful market penetration and deployment of energy-efficient building appliances is early collaboration with equipment manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, as well as being at the inception of the R&D effort.

ORNL’s market-focused activity for DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program analyzes both the energy-saving and non-energy attributes of technologies and how they influence end users’ purchasing decisions. Products developed without considering market conditions and consumers’ values cannot be expected to succeed commercially. The ORNL analysis team has conducted market research assessments and developed business plans geared to market-readiness and acceptance for several technologies including:

  • Demand response appliances
  • General Electric (GE) Hybrid Water Heater
  • Heat pumps
    • Integrated (IHPs)
      • Makes use of otherwise wasted energy streams and, because of higher duty cycles, can more readily justify the cost of advanced energy-efficient components
      • Projected to reduce energy consumption by 50%
      • Types:
        • Ground source
        • Air source
    • Gas engine powered
  • HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) systems
  • Waste heat recovery from appliances technology
    • Testing at ZEBRAlliance houses

GE Hybrid Electric WaterHeater

 

 

 

For more information, please refer to the:
Energy-Efficient Building Appliances for Market Success Fact Sheet (7/09)

ZEH Appliance Research

  • Partnership with Whirlpool - next generation appliance improvements
  • Appliance Energy Saving Concepts
  • Potential Waste Heat Recovery
  • Peak Demand Reduction

Advanced Electric Storage Water Heater

  • Partnership with major US appliance manufacturer
    • 1st ENERGY STAR®  HPWP by late CY 2009