The Baseline Home
Infrared image of baseline home west wall.
Blower door used to measure the infiltration of the baseline home.
Our Baseline Home is typical of existing homes in the Inland Northwest (Pacific Northwest east of the Cascade Mountain Range). The Baseline home serves as a control for the Experimental home, so that researchers can understand the incremental changes in energy use, indoor temperature and relative humidity, and other factors that result from implementing a specific technology.
Before the experiments began, the Baseline home and the Experimental home were both “null tested” to make sure they were exactly the same. This included air leakage testing, duct leakage testing, and assessment of thermal performance with an IR camera.
Before each experiment, the lab homes are “baselined”, meaning the homes are set up exactly the same and all the data streams are compared to each other. During this baselining period, the data form both homes should agree. That way, when researchers start an experiment and change something in the Experiment Home, they can be sure that any change they see if from the technology they are testing. On the figure below, the data from the Baseline is graphed with respect to the Experimental home. The more the data lines up of the 45 deg line, the better the agreement.
We are monitoring this home’s appliances and systems for energy and water use, and environmental conditions, and indoor environmental quality. It serves as the baseline home for our research as energy-efficient technologies are tested in the neighboring Experimental Home.