Organization(s)
Zero Energy Project,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Case study on the design and evaluation of extended plate and beam, located in Mount Joy Pennsylvania.
This library contains research reports produced by the Building America program and other building science resources used to support this Solution Center. The materials cover both new construction and existing homes. Use the search box and/or the filters to explore hundreds of residential building resources. Access to some references not produced by Building America may require purchase from the publisher. Documents are listed alphabetically. While we continually update our database, links may have changed since posting. Please contact our webmaster if you find broken links.
Showing results 1 - 42 of 42
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report about two test home evaluations that provided valuable data about the true in-field performance of various building mechanical systems and LAMELs.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report about a project that examines implementation of advanced retrofit measures in the context of a large-scale weatherization program and the archetypal Chicago, Illinois, brick bungalow.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Document providing a resource to help builders large and small build high-quality, energy-efficient homes that achieve 30% energy savings in space conditioning and water heating in the cold and very cold climates.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Guide describing measures that builders in the cold and very cold climates can take to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report describing a deep energy retrofit project for a two-family wood framed home located in Belmont, Massachusetts.
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report describing findings from a multifamily test home focusing on the combination of energy measures that are feasible, affordable and suitable for multifamily construction in cold climates.
Chamberlain Heights Redevelopment: A Large Scale, Cold Climate Study of Affordable Housing Retrofits
Organization(s)
California Air Resources Board,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report about City of Meriden Housing Authority's (MHA) collaboration with Jonathon Rose Companies to complete a gut renovation of 126 residential units in the Chamberlain Heights retrofit project.
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
CNT Energy,
Gas Technology Institute,
GTI Energy
Publication Date
Description
Report identifying housing characteristics and energy use for fifteen single-family housing types and specifies measure packages that provide an optimum level of energy savings based on a BEopt analysis.
Organization(s)
Fraunhofer CSE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Research study investigating the energy performance and cost effectiveness of several state-of-the-art retrofit strategies that could be used in residential houses in the Boston and New England area.
Organization(s)
NothernSTAR,
University of Minnesota,
UMN,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Research study describing an experimental and theoretical investigation of the energy and hygrothermal performance of retrofit foundation insulation systems in climate zones 6 and 7.
Organization(s)
CGS
Publication Date
Description
Website discussing building foundation problems caused by settling soil in Colorado.
Organization(s)
Fraunhofer CSE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report documenting the results of an in-depth evaluation of thermal comfort for two potential net zero-energy homes (NZEHs) in Massachusetts.
Organization(s)
University of Minnesota,
UMN,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Research study comparing various retrofit models in Wisconsin to evaluate performance in terms of savings per home and program cost per home to assess the relative cost effectiveness of each program design.
Organization(s)
University of Minnesota,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
NothernSTAR
Publication Date
Description
Report exploring alternative methods to find long-term solutions to energy loss in 1 ½-story homes to save energy, improve comfort, prevent frost buildup on the underside of the roof deck, and reduce the risk of ice dam formation/reformation.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the monitored long-term performance of two solar domestic water heating systems in northern climates.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Article describing the importance of air sealing, insulation, and roof ventilation in reducing the likelihood of ice dam formation on roofs in cold snowy climates.
Organization(s)
National Association of Home Builders,
NAHB,
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
USDA
Publication Date
Description
The objective of this research was to quantify the field performance of wood-frame walls clad with a variety of common claddings in a mixed-humid climate.
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
MEEA,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report using pre- and post-system upgrade data to analyze the energy savings associated with Iowa's HVAC SAVE program for space heating.
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report exploring feasibility of designing prescriptive retrofit measure packages for typical Chicago region multifamily buildings in order to achieve 25% source energy savings.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report summarizing post-retrofit results for 13 existing homes in a deep energy retrofit pilot program.
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Gas Technology Institute,
GTI Energy,
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
MEEA,
CNT Energy,
Elevate Energy,
Future Energy Enterprises,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Document reviewing four cold-climate northern Illinois energy efficiency retrofit programs to identify practices, tools, and approaches to streamline and reduce costs of comprehensive retrofits, and to improve the consistency of audit and retrofit delivery practices across different programs.
Organization(s)
Minnesota Department of Commerce
Publication Date
Description
Article describing the causes that form ice dams, as well as solutions for preventing future ice dams on roofs, focusing on air sealing to prevent hot air leakage.
Organization(s)
Montana State University Extension,
MSU Extension
Publication Date
Description
Article from Montana State University Extension explaining how proper insulation techniques can greatly reduce the risks of ice dams on roofs in cold climate zones.
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR
Publication Date
Description
Report examining the impacts that common installation practices and age- induced equipment degradation may have on the installed performance of natural gas furnaces, as measured by steady-state efficiency and AFUE.
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Gas Technology Institute,
GTI Energy
Publication Date
Description
Document covering installation of high efficiency gas furnaces, including when to install a high efficiency gas furnace as a retrofit measure, how to identify and address risks, and steps to follow for the selection and installation process.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Document providing information on basement insulation, air sealing and water management retrofits.
Organization(s)
NorthernSTAR,
NSTAR
Publication Date
Description
Case study describing the External Thermal and Moisture Management System developed by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership for retrofitting roofs with rigid foam over the roof deck, especially on one and a half-story homes.
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Description
List of recommendations from IBHS on how to protect homes from ice dam formation.
Organization(s)
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report researching cost- effective solution packages for significant energy efficiency and indoor air quality improvements masonry multifamily urban buildings.
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Research study making several recommendations to whole-home program designers and implementers for improving the cost effectiveness and reach of whole-home programs.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report about seeking a 30% source energy savings targets over a comparable 2009 International Energy Conservation Code-built home in the cold climate zone, using simple measures.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report about partnership to build three communities of net zero houses.
Organization(s)
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Western Massachusetts Electric Company,
Northeast Utilities
Publication Date
Description
Report summarizing results from a study in Massachusetts that aimed to upgrade existing homes and incorporate solar thermal systems.
Organization(s)
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report about a project with successful integration of numerous energy-conservation and renewable-energy features into a beautiful, comfortable, and very energy-efficient off-grid home.
Organization(s)
CCHRC
Publication Date
Description
Webpage describing how different amounts and types of snow loads affect the structural integrity of roofs and homes.
Organization(s)
National Research Council Canada,
NRC
Publication Date
Description
Research study describing an evaluation of selected windows undertaken by IRC researchers at Ottawa’s Laurier House (now being used as a museum) to determine their effectiveness in controlling condensation.
Organization(s)
Home Energy Magazine
Publication Date
Description
Article describing sustainable community development of near zero energy homes in Greenfield, Massachusetts.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the design and construction of a highly energy efficient community of ten duplexes in Greenfield, Massachusetts.
Organization(s)
CARB,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Research study describing demonstration homes that provided a wealth of information for the building community in terms of the science, effort, and cost of increasing the energy efficiency of our nation's housing stock.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report detailing retrofit of two existing houses in the Wyandotte Neighborhood program.
Organization(s)
CARB,
NREL,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report and case study describing a retrofit project for single family homes in the Pacific Northwest.