The Los Alamos County Demonstration Smart House takes shape. Photo by Greg Kendall/ladailypost.com
Staff report
As part of the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities NEDO project, a 2,418 square foot “Smart House” is being built behind the Century Link Building (formerly Qwest) at 1925 Trinity Dr.
Framing for the building is nearly completed and a ribbon cutting ceremony for the project is scheduled for 2 p.m., Sept. 17.
The demonstration house will be equipped with 3 kW photovoltaic (solar panels), a 20 kWh battery, a home energy management system (HEMS), smart equipment and appliances for optimized power consumption, smart meters and Heat Water Storage (heat pump) systems.
The HEMS system will allow the home to compare electricity prices and determine the most cost effective use and source of power (PV, battery, LAC grid) at any given moment of the day.
Key objectives of the Smart House are to demonstrate control between the micro-Energy Management System being developed by the DPU-NEDO project and the smart house energy management system (using price signals), demonstration of the HEMS systems ability to operate the smart house equipment under varied conditions.
The smart house will be open for public and educational tours after it is completed and in operation.
For more detailed information on how the Smart House fits into the DPU/NEDO project, read: NEDO/Los Alamos Collaborative Microgrid Research Project, Rafael De La Torre, June 15, 2011.
