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DOE OSTI · 3367557

Transformative Efficiency and Automation in Modular Homes (TEAMH)

Biswas, Kaushik [Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL (United States)]·LaFleur, Jason [Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL (United States)]·Hultquist, Kenneth [Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL (United States)]·Jogineedi, Rohit [Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL (United States)] (ORCID:0000000294659329)·Bingham, Luke [Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL (United States)]·Weiss, Brandon [Dvele, Inc., Mesa, AZ (United States)]·Shrestha, Som [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC)] (ORCID:0000000183993797)·Desjarlais, Andre [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC)]
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Abstract

This report documents the Transformative Efficiency and Automation in Modular Homes (TEAMH) project, which evaluates the integration of advanced building envelope technologies and automation-assisted modular construction to improve residential energy performance and construction efficiency. The study investigates high-performance insulation systems, including vacuum insulation panels (VIPs), combined with light gauge steel (LGS) modular construction and factory automation. Laboratory testing, whole-building energy modeling across multiple climate zones, and factory demonstrations were conducted to assess thermal performance, energy savings, and production efficiency. Results indicate that upgraded envelope assemblies can achieve up to ~50% heating and ~34% cooling energy savings relative to IECC 2018 code-compliant homes, while automation-assisted construction can reduce wall assembly time by 24%–46% compared to conventional wood framing. The findings demonstrate the potential for scalable, high-performance modular homes that deliver significant energy savings with competitive projected costs.

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32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION36 MATERIALS SCIENCE42 ENGINEERING47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATIONABCAdvanced Building ConstructionAutomationBuilding EnvelopeConstruction AutomationContinuous InsulationEnergy LoadsEnergy ModelingEnergy SavingsExterior InsulationHigh-performance HomesLGSLight Gauge SteelModular HomePrefab HomesPrefabricationThermal PerformanceTime and Motion StudyVacuum Insulation PanelsVIP

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Biswas, Kaushik [Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL (United States)], LaFleur, Jason [Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL (United States)], Hultquist, Kenneth [Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL (United States)], Jogineedi, Rohit [Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL (United States)] (ORCID:0000000294659329), Bingham, Luke [Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL (United States)], Weiss, Brandon [Dvele, Inc., Mesa, AZ (United States)], Shrestha, Som [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC)] (ORCID:0000000183993797), Desjarlais, Andre [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC)]. 2026-06-08. Transformative Efficiency and Automation in Modular Homes (TEAMH). https://doi.org/10.2172/3367557

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