ORNL building technologies scientists have been instrumental in the research, development and deployment of heat pump water heaters for use in residential applications.
Buildings researchers demonstrated advanced technologies that reduced, by greater than 50 percent, the 1993 National Appliance Energy Conservation Act standard energy consumption for a 20 ft. top-mount, automatic defrost, refrigerator/freezer.
ORNL buildings researchers were the first to accurately evaluate the effectiveness of a low global warming potential, or GWP, refrigerant known as R-448A.