Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is working with the Department of Energy’s (DOE's) Building Technologies Office, other national laboratories, and industry to enhance the energy resilience and reliability of residential buildings, while also reducing costs.  

In today’s quest for energy abundance and resilience, the key is to determine if—and how—different building technologies can work together as an integrated system.

This effort includes testing technologies for existing and new homes, as well as providing resources for stakeholders involved in the home construction and improvement industries. The ultimate goal is to significantly improve building-related energy reliability and cost savings in the new and existing residential building stock.

Tools and resources 

DOE's Building America Solution Center provides building professionals with access to state-of-the-art practices and information on hundreds of high-performance design, construction, and installation topics, including air sealing, insulation, HVAC components, windows, and more. These energy technologies can help improve energy security and affordability in homes—often enhancing the overall living quality for Americans.

Another helpful tool, the Home Energy Score that PNNL supports, provides homeowners, buyers, and renters with directly comparable and credible information about a home’s energy use by giving consumers a simple “miles-per-gallon” rating, much like a car.