Inka Bajandas//May 19, 2014//
A climate chamber at the University of Oregon’s Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory in Portland will make its public debut at an open house next week.
Lab staffers will discuss the climate chamber and other research equipment for improving building efficiency during the event on May 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the White Stag Block, 70 N.W. Couch St.
Researchers can control temperature, air speed and humidity in the chamber to test building products and demonstrate improved comfort from energy retrofits, ESBL program manager Terry Blomquist said.
“We work very closely with architects and engineers to help them design more efficient buildings,” she said.
The chamber was completed two years ago. Funding for its construction came from nonprofits Oregon BEST and Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.
The ESBL, part of the university’s School of Architecture and Allied Arts, is led by architecture professor G.Z. Brown. Since it was founded 30 years ago, the lab has helped reduce energy consumption in more than 2 million square feet of building space.