ORNL HAM Chamber Test Results.

We’re excited to share the results from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) report after conducting their evaluations of the GRID system in the Hygrothermal Airflow Model (HAM) chamber. This chamber allowed ORNL to simulate a full-scale cold northeastern winter and see exactly how our wall assembly performs under these conditions. They set the indoor side of our mockup to a steady 68°F, while the “outdoor” side dropped to freezing temperatures with humidity levels adjusted to match a typical winter climate. This setup helped them understand how well each layer of our wall system would insulate and manage moisture over time.

ORNL’s findings were promising. Throughout the testing, they tracked temperature and moisture using sensors placed at different points within the wall. They reported that the insulation effectively blocked out the cold and kept moisture levels safely low, even at temperatures as low as 5.97°F on the exterior side. Additionally, they found that the interior drywall layer stayed close to room temperature, meaning it maintained a comfortable indoor environment even as the outdoor “weather” in the chamber got intense. No significant moisture buildup was observed, suggesting the wall assembly did a good job of preventing issues like condensation or mold.

These results give us solid evidence that our mockup is doing its job well in terms of both thermal insulation and moisture control. ORNL’s data will help us fine-tune our designs as we move forward with retrofits, allowing us to predict how this wall setup will perform in real buildings across our northeastern climates. Overall, we’re encouraged by the findings and look forward to applying these insights to ensure that our future retrofits are as efficient, durable, and comfortable as possible.