What We Offer

What We Offer

FLEXLAB can test energy-efficient building systems in any combination

Why FLEXLAB®?

The Department of Energy's FLEXLAB® is the most flexible, comprehensive and advanced building and grid technologies test facility in the world, and is unleashing the full potential of improved energy performance.

FLEXLAB lets users test energy-efficient building systems individually or as an integrated system, under real-world conditions. FLEXLAB testbeds can monitor and assess heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, windows, building envelope, control systems and plug loads — in any combination.

What FLEXLAB Can Do for You

FLEXLAB is the first testbed in the world that can evaluate the energy efficiency of major building systems, as an integrated system, under real-world conditions. Stakeholders can evaluate energy-efficient building technologies individually or as integrated systems in advance of building projects or retrofits, in order to:

Steve Greenberg, Henry Coles, and Gerald Robinson set up the Genentech experiment

  • Optimize integrated systems to maximize energy savings
  • Ensure occupant comfort and user-friendliness
  • Verify cost-benefit numbers
  • Build confidence in new technologies

We also offer a scalable platform to research a wide range of building-to-grid distributed energy resource technologies and controls for many types of grid applications. Users can test models and assumptions with real systems, test alternative methods and collect highly accurate, validated performance data for use in building design, utility customer incentive programs, new technology development, evaluation and operations software development. 

Capabilities

  • Four large testbeds: These include one that rotates, allowing a variety of testing scenarios, including under different solar orientations.
  • Comparison testing: Each testbed has two identical cells allowing side-by-side tests for comparisons of energy efficiency technologies.
  • FLEXGRID: Photovoltaics, batteries, inverters, grid simulation and emulation to evaluate technologies and controls that span both the supply and demand sides of the grid.
  • Interchangeable elements: Testers can swap out windows, walls, skylights, floors, lighting, HVAC systems and other elements.
  • Test-drive technologies: Users can evaluate different technologies for HVAC systems, lighting, windows, building envelope, control systems and plug loads, under local conditions or simulating thermal loads of other climates.
  • Lighting and plug-load occupied testbed: Measures energy and technology performance, evaluating more subjective factors, such as visual comfort and user-friendliness.
  • Granular power measurement and controls: Every outlet has its own electrical circuit and power metering.
  • High accuracy sensors and instrumentation: Thousands of sensors are installed throughout the facility, including ones embedded in the building structure.

Users can test alternatives, validate thermal and visual comfort performance, validate design and operating tools, ensuring a building design, tool, or utility program will meet energy saving performance goals before adoption in the market. We've been experts at saving billions of dollars in buildings over the past 50 years, and FLEXLAB is the latest in Berkeley Lab’s long line of game-changing energy efficiency innovations.

We also offer a scalable platform to research a wide range of building-to-grid distributed energy resource technologies and controls for many types of grid applications. Users can test models and assumptions with real systems, test alternative methods and collect highly accurate, validated performance data for use in building design, utility customer incentive programs, new technology development, evaluation and operations software development. 

Download the FLEXLAB One-Pager: FLEXLAB One-Pager