Abridged SP FINAL-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 19
Facilities
FLEXLAB®: The World’s Most Advanced
Integrated Building & Grid Technologies
Testbed
To unlock deep levels of efficiency and optimize energy
savings in grid-integrated buildings, researchers
developed DOE’s Facility for Low Energy Experiments
(FLEXLAB) at Berkeley Lab — the world’s first testbed
that can evaluate the energy performance of major
building systems and distributed energy resources
as an integrated system, under real world conditions.
FLEXLAB enables users to take a whole-building systems
or component approach to uncover new ways to
design buildings and integrate systems for maximum
performance.
FLEXLAB is made up of four stand-alone testbeds and
an occupied plug-load and lighting testbed. Users can
build out and equip any of FLEXLAB’s one- and two-story
testbeds to mimic a real commercial or multifamily
residential building.
Each of the four stand-alone testbeds is made up of
two 600-square-foot cells, and one testbed rotates.
Each testbed has identical cells, allowing side-by-side
comparisons of energy-efficient technologies to a base
case that can match real-world situations.
FLEXLAB’s rotating testbed allows users to develop
window and daylighting strategies to manage different
solar and sky conditions and thermal loads as the
sun changes position. Thousands of high-accuracy
sensors capture the results, allowing users to analyze
performance at the component and system level, and
also to help measure indoor air quality and thermal
and visual comfort. FLEXLAB has tested more than 70
energy-efficient technologies and supported over $65
million in diverse projects.
FLEXLAB also includes FLEXGRID, a system to
study controls to manage building demand, onsite
renewables, and storage to address grid issues and
lower costs for building owners. FLEXLAB supports a
wide range of stakeholders, from utilities to biotech
firms to the DOE and the California Energy Commission.
Appliance Test Chambers
ETA’s Refrigerator Test Chamber, Balanced
Ambient Calorimeter Test Chamber, and
Psychrometric Test Chamber enable
researchers to assess the performance of
air-conditioning and refrigeration appliances
and equipment, and to develop new test
procedures that better evaluate their efficiency
and performance.
Low Global Warming Potential
Refrigerants Testing
Air-conditioning and refrigeration appliance
innovation is integral to tackling climate
change. Berkeley Lab is leading the way with
ETA’s Global Cooling Efficiency Program (GCEP).
The Appliance Test Chambers offer important
capabilities to develop high-efficiency, low
global warming potential refrigerant cooling
equipment that is accessible and affordable.
The GCEP is combining theory, computer
modeling, and experimental research to
mitigate negative impacts of the expected
growth in cooling demand while expanding
access to cooling.
Indoor Air Quality and COVID-19
With more frequent wildfires and challenges
such as COVID-19, FLEXLAB’s advanced
HVAC systems and flexible configuration
play a significant role in investigating how
building controls, occupant behavior, and
air cleaning technologies impact occupant
exposure to airborne particles. FLEXLAB
offers a unique environment to study drivers
of airborne transport and SARS-CoV-2 in the
built environment. The facility will research
the relationships between building energy
efficiency, indoor air quality, and occupant
health.
To view the full ETA Strategic Plan please go to: eta.lbl.gov/strategic-plan
