Heat Transfer and Alternative Energy Systems Group

News and Updates

A scientist wearing protective gear holds up a petri dish.

Spotlight: Never Stagnant: Microbiologist Alshae’ Logan’s Path Through the Pipeline Into Science

February 28, 2022

In grade school, Alshae’ Logan hadn’t seen or heard of a Black woman earning a doctoral degree, nor had she been taught of the contributions Black women made to

Common Solar Tech Can Power Smart Devices Indoors, NIST Study Finds

August 19, 2021

Any time you turn on a light at home or in the office, you are expending energy. But what if flipping the light switch meant producing energy too? We usually

A shower head with steamy water coming out.

NIST Identifies Critical Needs for Improved Plumbing

May 11, 2020

We don’t use water like we used to. In recent decades, concerns about cost, water shortages and environmental impacts together with changes in plumbing design

a large, hollow silver cylinder on a wheeled metal rack on the right, the guarded hot plate, another smaller cylinder festooned with wires that fits inside the larger cylinder is on the left

Spotlight: Thermal Insulation SRM in Space

May 8, 2020

Feeling hot, hot, hot … but this thermal insulation standard reference material (SRM 1450e) can help you take the heat, both in an apartment building and in

Projects and Programs

Air Distribution Impacts in Net-Zero Energy Homes

Ongoing

A Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility (NZERTF) has been constructed and extensively instrumented. The facility incorporates a high-performance envelope, a

Assessment of High-Temperature and Innovative Insulation Thermal Performance

Ongoing

The use of thermal insulation is a primary approach to reducing heating and cooling loads in buildings, which account for 42 % and 24 % of energy consumption in

Electrical Performance Measurements of Solar Photovoltaic Cells and Arrays

Ongoing

Renewable energy generation is required to achieve net-zero energy buildings. Solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays typically offer the best means for providing this

Energy Monitoring Systems promise to deliver real-time, detailed energy end-use information to building occupants.

Energy Measurements for Existing Residential Buildings Project

Ongoing

According to the most recent national census data, the median year in which owner-occupied homes were built in the U.S. is 19761. Furthermore, housing starts

Publications

Identifying and Investigating Spatial Features in InGaAs Solar Cells by Hyperspectral Luminescence Imaging

March 10, 2023

Author(s)

Brianna Conrad, Behrang Hamadani

Hyperspectral luminescence imaging adds high-resolution spectral data to the electroluminescence and photoluminescence images of photovoltaic materials and

Hyperspectral Imaging of Localized, Optically-Active Defects in GaAs Solar Cells

November 14, 2022

Author(s)

Behrang Hamadani, Margaret Stevens, Brianna Conrad, Matthew Lumb, Eric Armour, Kenneth Schmieder

A novel hyperspectral imaging instrument with dual electroluminescence and photoluminescence capability was used to image and analyze localized radiative

Visualizing Localized, Radiative Defects in GaAs Solar Cells

September 1, 2022

Author(s)

Behrang Hamadani, Margaret Stevens, Brianna Conrad, Matthew Lumb, Kenneth Schmieder

We have used a calibrated, wide-field hyperspectral imaging instrument to obtain absolute spectrally and spatially resolved photoluminescence images in high

Color-Temperature Dependence of Indoor Organic Photovoltaic Performance

March 5, 2022

Author(s)

Boya Zhang, Justin Bonner, Lakshmi Murthy, Thien Nguyen, Fong-Yi Cao, Yen-Ju Cheng, Behrang Hamadani, Julia Hsu

Organic materials are uniquely suited for indoor light energy harvesting because they absorb mostly in the visible spectrum and the absence of ultraviolet light

Software

AFUEBF Program

October 15, 2015

CALCULATION OF ANNUAL FUEL UTILIZATION EFFICIENCY OF RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL FURNACES AND BOILERSThe AFUEBF program available at this website can be used to

Pyranometer Responsivity INTERpolator (PRINTER)

The Pyranometer Responsivity INTERpolator (PRINTER) interpolates pyranometer incidence angle dependent calibration factors, or responsivities (µV/W/m2), into an

Awards

2019 - Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers---Behrang Hamadani

For innovative and cutting-edge research in the measurement of photovoltaic materials, dedicated leadership in developing standards, and outstanding mentorship.

2019 - Silver Medal Award---Tommy Armstrong, John R. Bollinger, Daniel Gilmore, Steven Smith, Brian Dougherty, Thomas M. Sherman, Timothy Hoseth

For sustained superior group performance pursuing procurement and construction of a 15-acre, 5-megawatt, solar array system for the NIST Gaithersburg campus.

2016 - Jacob Rabinow Applied Research Award---Brian Dougherty, A. Hunter Fanney, William Healy, Lisa Ng, Joshua Kneifel, Farhad Omar, Dustin Poppendieck, Harrison Skye, Tania Ullah, W. Vance Payne

For development of a unique experimental testbed to support the building industry's delivery of energy-efficient, comfortable, and healthy homes.

2016 - Bronze Medal Award---Matthew Boyd, Brian Dougherty

For development of testbeds for monitoring photovoltaic (PV) system performance that are providing critical datasets to the solar energy industry.

Heat Transfer and Alternative Energy Systems Group

News and Updates

Spotlight: Never Stagnant: Microbiologist Alshae’ Logan’s Path Through the Pipeline Into Science

Common Solar Tech Can Power Smart Devices Indoors, NIST Study Finds

NIST Identifies Critical Needs for Improved Plumbing

Spotlight: Thermal Insulation SRM in Space

Projects and Programs

Air Distribution Impacts in Net-Zero Energy Homes

Assessment of High-Temperature and Innovative Insulation Thermal Performance

Electrical Performance Measurements of Solar Photovoltaic Cells and Arrays

Energy Measurements for Existing Residential Buildings Project

Publications

Identifying and Investigating Spatial Features in InGaAs Solar Cells by Hyperspectral Luminescence Imaging

Hyperspectral Imaging of Localized, Optically-Active Defects in GaAs Solar Cells

Visualizing Localized, Radiative Defects in GaAs Solar Cells

Color-Temperature Dependence of Indoor Organic Photovoltaic Performance

Software

AFUEBF Program

Pyranometer Responsivity INTERpolator (PRINTER)

Awards

2019 - Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers---Behrang Hamadani

2019 - Silver Medal Award---Tommy Armstrong, John R. Bollinger, Daniel Gilmore, Steven Smith, Brian Dougherty, Thomas M. Sherman, Timothy Hoseth

2016 - Jacob Rabinow Applied Research Award---Brian Dougherty, A. Hunter Fanney, William Healy, Lisa Ng, Joshua Kneifel, Farhad Omar, Dustin Poppendieck, Harrison Skye, Tania Ullah, W. Vance Payne

2016 - Bronze Medal Award---Matthew Boyd, Brian Dougherty

Research Highlights

Products and Services

Contacts