"Every movement of their lives has been scripted. Lights will go on and off; showers will take place," said Fanney. "Appliances will be turned on and off just as a family of four would use them."

"The reason they're not real people is we want to have control," he said. "With real people, we all live randomly, so it's very difficult to have this control in place."

Meanwhile, scientists in the detached garage will monitor conditions.

Approximately $2.5 million has been spent on the house using federal stimulus money. As a condition of the stimulus funds, almost all of the house was built using American materials and products. The lone exception -- a ventilation device in the basement -- was made in Canada. No similar device is made in the United States, the laboratory said.

What will happen to the house once tests are completed?

"I don't think that we'll ever be finished with this facility," said Fanney.

He envisions new energy technology "for the next three or four decades."

And he suspects that the research will allow homebuilders to advertise a house's energy efficiency.

"Buildings will have an energy label on them much as cars have a 'miles per gallon' label today," he said.