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Library

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 51 - 88 of 88

Load Calculation Tools for Ductless Heat Pumps

Author(s)
BetterBuilt Northwest
Organization(s)
BetterBuiltNW,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
NEEA
Publication Date
Web article describing two options for sizing ductless minisplit heat pumps, including a free HVAC sizing tool.

Manufactured Home Factory Duct Leakage Testing

Author(s)
Slipstream
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Factsheet describing how to test the duct leakage of a manufactured home in the manufactured home factory.

Mold Course

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Brennan Terry
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Online course providing an overview of mold prevention and mold remediation.

NEEP’s Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pump List

Author(s)
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships
Organization(s)
NEEP
Publication Date
Database compiling extended capacity data for numerous cold climate heat pump manufacturers and models.

Performance of Windows in Walls With Continuous Insulation

Author(s)
Peavey John,
Shah Nay
Organization(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs,
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Publication Date
Technical report describing research aimed to provide window manufacturers with foundational guidance for installing windows in walls with continuous insulation (CI), addressing critical aspects such as evaluating common installation methods, establishing acceptance criteria for window performance...

Rated Roof Products Directory

Author(s)
Cool Roof Rating Council
Organization(s)
CRRC
Publication Date
Searchable database of over 3,000 roofing products that have undergone solar reflectance and thermal emittance testing.

Rated Wall Products Directory

Author(s)
Cool Roof Rating Council
Organization(s)
CRRC
Publication Date
Searchable database of wall cladding and coating products that have undergone solar reflectance and thermal emittance testing.

Re-Side Right: A Systems Approach to High-Performance Re-Siding Projects

Author(s)
Liaukus Christine
Organization(s)
New Jersey Institute of Technology,
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Publication Date
Technical report describing the Re-Side Right initiative by the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Building America research team that proposes enhancing home efficiency during the re-siding process by incorporating an insulating layer that acts as both an air barrier and water resistive barrier...

Refrigerant Leak Prevention: Best Practices – Tech Tip

Author(s)
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
Organization(s)
NYSERDA
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing best practices in installing leak-free refrigerant systems, including specifics on creating flare joints and brazed joints, pressure testing, vacuum testing, and charging the system with refrigerant.

Residential Solar System Guidelines

Author(s)
City of Burnsville
Organization(s)
City of Burnsville
Publication Date
Brochure detailing the guidelines, recommendations, and preferences of the City of Burnsville for citizens installing solar photovoltaics.

Science of Cool Roofs

Author(s)
CoolCalifornia.org
Organization(s)
CoolCalifornia.org
Publication Date
Webpage discussing the characteristics of sunlight and how cool roofs work to reduce solar heat gain.

SRI Calculator

Author(s)
Levinson Ronnen
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Spreadsheet tool that computes solar reflectance index (SRI) and roof surface temperature based on solar reflectance and thermal emittance using ASTM standard E 1980.

Technical Reference Manual for WaterSense Labeled Homes

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Resource manual for builders, designers, architects, plumbers, and others interested in the WaterSense Labeled Homes Program providing an overview of the program, explains how to meet the program requirements, gives descriptions of water-saving technologies, and provides links to further resources.

The Retrofit Decision Tool

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Fact sheet poster describing a DOE tool that walks homeowners through a series of simple questions to produce a list of retrofit recommendations to improve the energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and durability of the homeowners’ home, while also lowering their carbon footprint.

Thin Triple-Pane Windows: Coming soon to a hardware store near you!

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Fact sheet poster describing the energy efficiency and comfort benefits of thin triple-pane windows as compared to standard triple-pane and double-pane windows.

Tips & Resources - Evaporative Coolers

Author(s)
City of Fresno
Organization(s)
City of Fresno
Publication Date
Webpage from the City of Fresno's Water Conservation Program describing household water conservation recommendations, including tips for maintaining evaporative coolers.

WaterSense Homes Certification

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Webpage from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describing the EPA WaterSense program including the Mandatory Checklist for WaterSense Labeled Homes, information on how to get certified, and information on finding or becoming a WaterSense Home Certifying Organization.

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Bathroom Sink Faucets

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
This fact sheet outlines the requirements for WaterSense® labeled bathroom sink faucets, detailing their water-efficient features, compliance with flow rate standards, how they are tested, how they are built, and how they are verified to ensure their quality and compliance with conservation and...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Clothes Washers

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified clothes washers that highlights the integrated water factor, integrated modified energy factor, top-loading vs. front-loading specifications, efficiency code standards, local requirements, faucet types and regulations for building...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Dishwashers

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified dishwashers that highlights water cycle specifications, efficiency code standards, water consumption level relation to criteria, the advantages of ENERGY STAR dishwashers, and the regulations for building and verifying a labeled...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Free of Water Leaks

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing a comprehensive set of protocols for detecting, addressing, and preventing water leaks in homes, covering pressure-loss testing, visual inspections, and specific leak tests for fixtures and appliances to ensure water efficiency, water management, and high preformance of...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Hot Water Delivery

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing four different efficient hot water delivery (HWD) systems, the trunk-and branch, core, whole-house manifold, and recirculation, with emphasis on system schematics, piping materials, and regulations to design and verify the systems ensuring that they meet the quality and water...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Kitchen Faucets

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified kitchen faucets that highlights flow rate specifications, efficiency code standards, local requirements, faucet types and regulations for building and verifying a labeled faucet to ensure it meets the quality and water management...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Landscape Design and Plant Selection

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing water-efficient landscaping through informed landscape design and plant selection, outlining considerations for climate, soil, and maintenance, as well as emphasizing the benefits of native and drought-tolerant plants, all within the context of achieving water efficiency...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Leak Detection and Flow Monitoring System

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing how to effectively build, implement, and verify leak detection and flow monitoring systems, detailing their significance in identifying and preventing leaks, selecting appropriate devices, installation procedures, and verification protocols within the context of water...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Service Water Pressure

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the significance of managing service water pressure within recommended ranges through the installation of pressure-regulating valves (PRVs), emphasizing their role in preventing damage, conserving energy, and ensuring water-efficient operation in residential properties; There...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Showerheads

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
This fact sheet describes the requirements for WaterSense® labeled showerheads in, highlighting their water-saving capabilities, adherence to flow rate criteria, independent performance certification, and how they're built, verified and in alignment with the conservation and water management goals...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Toilets

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
This fact sheet outlines the mandatory inclusion of WaterSense® labeled toilets in homes, highlighting their water-efficient features, certified performance, and leak prevention; The sheet describes the requirements for these features, steps to build, and steps to verify a labeled toilet to insure...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Water Metering

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the implementation of water metering and submetering measures in residential properties, particularly multifamily buildings, to enhance water efficiency, usage tracking, and compliance with relevant regulations; It outlines how to build and verify water meters and submeters to...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Water Softeners

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the importance and regulation of EPA WaterSense water softeners including the function of cation exchange water softeners, the importance of salt efficiency, the negative impact of hard water on household appliances, softeners that use demand-initiated regeneration with...

What is a Cool Exterior Wall?

Author(s)
Cool Roof Rating Council
Organization(s)
CRRC
Publication Date
Web page explaining what a cool exterior wall is and how they work, as well as benefits to their use and links to research studies.

What is a Cool Roof?

Author(s)
Cool Roof Rating Council
Organization(s)
CRRC
Publication Date
Web page explaining what a cool roof is and how they work, as well as benefits to their use and links to research studies.

Wildfire Statistics

Author(s)
Congressional Research Service
Organization(s)
CRS
Publication Date
Fact sheet providing recent statistics on wildfires in the U.S.

Window Attachment Ratings | AERC

Author(s)
Attachments Energy Rating Council
Organization(s)
AERC
Publication Date
Website developed by the Attachments Energy Rating Council to provide consumers with credible, relevant, and comparable information about window attachments and their performance.

Window Attachments Offer Added Savings

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Fact sheet poster describing and comparing the energy-saving and comfort benefits of window attachment options such as low-emissivity storm windows, automated blinds, cellular shades, and solar screens, etc.

Window Attachments: Call to Action

Author(s)
Attachments Energy Rating Council
Organization(s)
AERC
Publication Date
Fact sheet providing information on window attachments and their potential for improving energy efficiency.