OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — HVAC control in small commercial buildings could supply better comfort and efficiency at less expense thanks to a new low-cost wireless sensor technology being developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Buildings are responsible for about 40 percent of the energy consumed in the United States. ORNL said studies indicate that advanced sensors and controls have the potential to reduce the energy consumption of buildings by 20-30 percent.