Organization(s)
CEE
Publication Date
Description
Document for contractors detailing how to prioritize, control, and configure heat pumps in a residence that uses two heating systems.
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 501 - 550 of 2374
Organization(s)
CEE
Publication Date
Description
Document for customers describing the benefits of two-system controls for homes, including information answering how, when, why, and how two-system controls with multiple heating sources are employed.
Organization(s)
CEE
Publication Date
Description
Website for CEE, the US and Canadian consortium of natural gas and electric efficiency program administrators.
Organization(s)
Zero Energy Project
Publication Date
Description
Guidance from Zero Energy Project on construction techniques for warmer climates, such as home orientation, and insulation requirements.
Construction and Demolition: How to Properly Dispose of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Equipment
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
A website explaining how to properly dispose of old refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.
Organization(s)
Metropolitan Engineering Consulting & Forensics,
MECF
Publication Date
Description
Article about how mortar droppings during the installation of a brick veneer can clog the weep holes in the wall assembly causing moisture damage. The article also illustrates products that can be installed in the ventilated cavity to mitigate this problem.
Organization(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs,
HIRL
Publication Date
Description
Part I of the Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x6 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as exterior sheathing, gypsum board as interior sheathing, and a cladding system installed over WSP sheathing in low-rise residential buildings up to three stories in height. Walls with...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
The Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x4 wood frame studs, wood structural panel sheathing (WSP) as wall bracing and added backing for foam sheathing, a layer of rigid foam sheathing insulation up to 1.5 inches thick over the WSP, and a cladding system installed over the foam sheathing in low...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
Home Innovation Research Labs,
HIRL
Publication Date
Description
Part I of the Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x6 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as exterior sheathing, gypsum board as interior sheathing, and a cladding system installed over WSP sheathing in low-rise residential buildings up to three stories in height.
Organization(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs,
HIRL
Publication Date
Description
The Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x4 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as wall bracing and added backing for foam sheathing, a layer of rigid foam sheathing insulation up to 1.5 in. thick over the WSP, and a cladding system installed over the foam sheathing in low...
Organization(s)
CIEC
Publication Date
Description
Website providing building science based guidance for residential construction.
Organization(s)
Journal of Energy and Power Sources,
Indian Institute of Technology BHU Varanasi,
IIT BHU
Publication Date
Description
Article describing construction best practices to help reduce the wind-induced pressure loads on a low-rise building during a hurricane.
Organization(s)
HUD
Publication Date
Description
Brochure helping homeowners identify hazards, work with contractors to remove the hazards, help ensure the work is done properly, and educate when they can return safely to the home.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Report telling consumers how radon gets into a home and how to reduce radon entry into a home.
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Short article from FEMA explaining what a continuous load path is and the key connection points that make it up.
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
DOE,
GBA,
ORNL,
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Document presenting step-by-step process for installing rigid insulating sheathing over wood studs or house wrap.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Article describing research encouraging use of exterior insulation to warm interior sheathing surfaces in walls and roof assemblies to reduce the likelihood of condensation during cold weather
Organization(s)
ASME
Publication Date
Description
Standard covering requirements for the assembly, installation, maintenance, and operation of controls and safety devices on automatically operated boilers directly fired with gas, oil, gas-oil, or electricity, having fuel input ratings under 12,500,000 Btu/hr.
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB
Publication Date
Description
Research report anayzing the results of a large retrofit project, turining an old school into near zero energy consumption apartments in Greenfield MA.
Organization(s)
California Energy Commission,
CEC,
Public Interest Energy Research Program,
PIER,
Laboratory Directed Research and Development,
LDRD,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Description
Study describing efforts and outcomes in developing color-pigmented roofing products with coatings to increase solar reflectance.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Article describing the difference between conditioned or unvented attics and unconditioned or vented attics.
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy,
ECEEE
Publication Date
Description
Paper describing the effects of tree canopies on residential climates indicating tree cover to be beneficial to climate conditions
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Webpage from U.S. Department of Energy describing 'cool roofs' and their usage for passive home cooling.
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
ENERGY STAR webpage discussing the costs and benefits of cool roofs.
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Web page providing information on the types of cool roofs and their benefits to consumers.
Organization(s)
City of Davis,
State of California
Publication Date
Description
Article describing the use of whole-house fans to provide cooling in the region surrounding Sacramento, CA.
Organization(s)
LBNL
Publication Date
Description
Tool developed by LBNL to calculate potential savings from increasing wall and roof solar reflectance.
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC
Publication Date
Description
Report on experiments comparing the cooling and heating seasonal and peak demand performance of different variable-capacity air conditioning and heat pump units.
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Study reporting the results of comparative testing of the effect of finished and unfinished metal roofing systems on cooling energy performance in a test facility.
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
DOE Energy Saver webpage summarizing the use of whole-house fans for cooling.
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Report providing recommendations to builders regarding how to reduce cooling loads, use air-circulation fans, natural ventilation, window and building design for natural ventilation, and whole-house fans.
Organization(s)
NREL,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Short report providing tips on how to reduce heat gain and passively cool a home.
Organization(s)
University of Georgia
Publication Date
Description
A fact sheet providing information on termite species and how to prevent them from entering into your home.
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)
NSTAR,
UMN
Publication Date
Description
This case study describes costs associated with 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)
Fraunhofer CSE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report focusing on building envelopes that have been enhanced with phase change materials (PCMs), which can simultaneously reduce total cooling loads and shift peak-hour loads.
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the report FEMA P-804 Wind Retrofit Guide for Residential Buildings (2010) with a link to this report and gives an overview of FEMA funds for wind retrofit projects.
Organization(s)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Research study examining the opportunities for cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy retrofits in residential archetypes constructed before 1980 (Pre-Code) in 14 U.S. cities.
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the analytical study of renewable energy retrofits to homes built before 1980 and whether it is cost efficient or not.
Organization(s)
National Association of Home Builders,
NAHB
Publication Date
Description
Document describing the methodology and results from 2009 to 2019 of the National Association of Home Builders' Construction Cost survey, which collects information from builders on the various components that go into the sales price of a typical single-family home.
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)
NAHB Research Center,
HUD,
PDR,
PATH
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet with construction details, pros and cons of insulated concrete forms.
Organization(s)
CPA
Publication Date
Description
Technical bulletin addressing surfacing options in regards to composite wood panels and their emission barrier capabilities.
Organization(s)
ORNL,
SEI,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet about crawlspace insulation, including installation details.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Article discussing whether or not to seal and insulate crawlspaces.
Organization(s)
FIRESafe Marin
Publication Date
Description
Webpage from FireSafe Marin explaining the different landscaping strategies near homes to lower the risk of a home's ignition from wildfire.
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Description
A factsheet that offers guidance on choosing appropriate materials and using proper construction practices when rebuilding, repairing, or renovating a home to increase its resistance to fires.
Organization(s)
ASHRAE,
ANSI
Publication Date
Description
Standard providing guidance on predicting, mitigating, or reducing moisture damage to the building envelope, materials, components, systems, and furnishings, depending on climate, construction type, and HVAC system operation; webstore also has versions of the standard published in the years 2016 and...
Organization(s)
CRRC
Publication Date
Description
Website providing information about the Cool Roof Rating Council including programs, membership, and resources for the construction industry.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Article describing strategies for reducing the risk of ice dam formation on roofs in winter.