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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 - 100 of 262

Database of Low-e Storm Window Energy Performance across U.S. Climate Zones

Author(s)
Cort Katherine A,
Culp Thomas D
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Birch Point Consulting,
BPC
Publication Date
Research study evaluating energy savings and cost effectiveness of installing low-emissivity (low-e) storm windows over existing windows in residential homes in all climate zones.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Design and Construction Process

Author(s)
Less,
Walker
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Design and Construction Process chapter provides detailed guidance for each process phase: pre-planning, planning, construction, test-out and post-occupancy.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Lessons learned

Author(s)
Less,
Walker
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Lessons Learned chapter focuses on successful deep energy retrofit projects throughout the U.S.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Occupant Behavior

Author(s)
Less,
Walker
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Occupant Behavior chapter discusses how to assess homeowner behavior patterns and use these patterns to enhance overall energy savings.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Over-Time, Phased Guidance

Author(s)
Less,
Walker
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Over Time, Phased Guidance chapter presents a phased approach to deep energy retrofits.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Reducing Costs and Increasing Cost-Effectiveness

Author(s)
Less,
Walker
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Reducing costs and Increasing Cost-Effectiveness chapter provides suggestions for controlling deep retrofit costs, including both 'do's' and 'don'ts.'

Deep Energy Retrofits - Source Energy and Carbon Decisions

Author(s)
Less,
Walker
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Source Energy and Carbon Decisions chapter helps users carefully assess the impacts of switching from gas to electricity for heating end-uses, using source energy and/or carbon emissions...

Designing with SIPs: Design Considerations

Author(s)
Structural Insulated Panel Association
Organization(s)
Structural Insulated Panel Association
Publication Date
Guide informing architects and engineers about designing buildings to be constructed with structural insulated panels.

Developing an Energy Performance Modeling Startup Kit

Author(s)
Wood
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date
Report identifying business models for the remodeling industry that foster remodelers adoption of energy efficiency services.

Distribution and Room Air Mixing Risks to Retrofitted Homes

Author(s)
Burdick Arlan
Organization(s)
IBACOS
Publication Date
Report outlining the issues with using existing ducts with a new low-load HVAC system, which reduces throw at supply registers causing decreased mixing of supply and room air, leading to potential thermal comfort complaints.

DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Fact sheet poster describing benefits and qualification of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) certified Zero Energy Ready Homes and providing eight examples of certified homes.

Duct Sealing

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Brochure with details on HVAC duct air sealing.

Duct System Flammability and Air Sealing Fire Separation Assemblies in the International Residential Code

Author(s)
Rudd,
Prahl
Organization(s)
ABT Systems,
IBACOS
Publication Date
Report identifying two barriers that limit the ability of builders to explore opportunities for higher levels of energy efficiency in housing: the use of duct system materials that inherently achieve airtightness and are right-sized for low-load houses, and, the ability to air seal fire separation...

Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump Comfort Evaluation

Author(s)
Roth Kurt,
Sehgal N,
Akers Craig
Organization(s)
Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems,
Fraunhofer CSE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Research report with results from field tests in two homes in Austin, Texas, from October 2011 to June 2012 to evaluate the comfort performance of ductless mini-split heat pumps

Ducts in Conditioned Space

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Brochure with information about ducts in conditioned space.

Electric Energy Management in the Smart Home: Perspectives on Enabling Technologies and Consumer Behavior

Author(s)
Zipperer Adam,
Aloise-Young Patricia A.,
Suryanarayanan Siddharth,
Roche Robin,
Earle Lieko,
Christensen Dane,
Bauleo Pablo,
Zimmerle Daniel
Organization(s)
Colorado State University,
CSU,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
University of Technology of Belfort-Montbeliard,
UTBM,
Fort Collins Utilities
Publication Date
Journal article presenting a discussion of the state-of-the- art in electricity management in smart homes, the various enabling technologies that will accelerate this concept, and topics around consumer behavior with respect to energy usage.

Energy Rated for Added Comfort: AERC-Certified Window Attachments Authors:

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Fact sheet poster describing the certification of window attachment products such as storm windows, roller shades, cellular shade, and solar screens by the Attachment Energy Rating Council (AERC).

Energy Savings and Peak Demand Reduction of a SEER 21 Heat Pump vs. a SEER 13 Heat Pump with Attic and Indoor Duct Systems

Author(s)
Cummings James B,
Withers Charles R
Organization(s)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Research study describing experiments run in an unoccupied 1600 square foot house to evaluate the delivered performance as well as the relative performance of a SEER 21 variable capacity heat pump versus a SEER 13 heat pump.

Energy Savings Measure Packages: Existing Homes

Author(s)
Casey Sean,
Booten Chuck
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Document presenting a simple starting point to determine the most cost-effective Energy Savings Measure Packages (ESMP) for existing homes to achieve 15% and 30% savings in 37 locations across the United States.

Evaluation of Boulder, CO, SmartRegs Ordinance and Better Buildings Programs

Author(s)
Arena Lois,
Vijayakumar Gayathri
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Report summarizing CARB's analysis of Boulder, Colorado's SmartRegs ordinance in the existing home market.

Evaluation of Retrofit Delivery Packages

Author(s)
Berman Mark,
Smith Pepper,
Porse Erik
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Report evaluating opportunities to improve and streamline delivery of residential retrofit measures.

Example Procedures for Developing Acceptance-Range Criteria for BESTEST-EX

Author(s)
Judkoff Ron,
Polly Benjamin,
Bianchi Marcus V A,
Neymark Joel
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
J. Neymark & Associates
Publication Date
Document providing an example procedure for establishing acceptance-range criteria to assess results from software undergoing BESTEST-EX.

Excavationless Exterior Foundation Insulation Exploratory Study

Author(s)
Mosiman,
Wagner,
Schirber
Organization(s)
NorthernSTAR,
University of Minnesota,
NSTAR
Publication Date
Research study searching for combinations of existing technologies that could enable a minimally invasive, cost-competitive, easily deployable method of upgrading soil-side foundation insulation in existing buildings.

Expert Meeting Report: Energy Savings You Can Bank On

Author(s)
Berman Mark,
Springer Jeremy,
Smith Pepper,
Porse Erik
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Expert meeting on the topic of performance guarantees and financing vehicles for energy efficiency upgrades.

Expert Meeting Report: Foundations Research Results

Author(s)
Ojczyk Cindy,
Huelman Patrick H,
Carmody John
Organization(s)
NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership,
NorthernSTAR,
University of Minnesota
Publication Date
Expert meeting report describing the need for greater understanding of foundation systems including moisture and insulation issues.

Expert Meeting Report: Windows Options for New and Existing Homes

Author(s)
Ojczyk Cindy,
Carmody John,
Haglund Kerry
Organization(s)
NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership,
NorthernSTAR,
University of Minnesota
Publication Date
Expert meeting report aimed at a greater understanding of the windows research that Building America partners and national laboratories are engaged in to help professionals and consumers choose best practice strategies.

Expert Meeting: Optimized Heating Systems Using Condensing Boilers and Baseboard Convectors

Author(s)
Arena Lois
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Expert meeting held to review and discuss results and future plans for research to improve the performance of hydronic heating systems using condensing boilers and baseboard convectors.

Exterior Insulation Implications on Heating and Cooling in Cold Climates

Author(s)
Herk,
Poerschke
Organization(s)
IBACOS
Publication Date
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is interested in finding cost-effective solutions for deep energy retrofits (DERs) related to exterior wall insulation in a cold climate, with targets of 50% peak load reduction and 50% space conditioning energy savings.

FEMA P-762: Local Officials Guide for Coastal Construction

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
A guide aiming to assist local officials and community decision makers in coastal areas in adopting and implementing sound mitigation measures to lower building natural disaster vulnerability.

Field and Laboratory Testing of Approaches to Smart Whole-House Mechanical Ventilation Control

Author(s)
Martin,
Fenaughty,
Parker
Organization(s)
BA-PIRC,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Report outlining how Smart ventilation controls (SVC) balance energy consumption, comfort, and IAQ by optimizing mechanical ventilation operation to reduce the heating and/or cooling loads, improve management of indoor moisture, and maintain IAQ equivalence according to ASHRAE 62.2.

Field Assessment of Energy Audit Tools for Retrofit Programs

Author(s)
Edwards J,
Bohac D,
Nelson C,
Smith I
Organization(s)
NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership,
NorthernSTAR,
University of Minnesota
Publication Date
Report describing a project focused on the use of home energy ratings as a tool to promote energy retrofits in existing homes.