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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 111

Author(s)
Marburger
Organization(s)
Federation of American Scientists,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date
Description
Document providing a roadmap to aid Habitat for Humanity affiliates in building high performing houses by using materials and techniques that are affordable, do not add any maintenance burden, and are volunteer friendly.
Author(s)
LaMarche Janelle,
Cheney Kate,
Akers Craig,
Roth Kurt,
Sachs Olga
Organization(s)
Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems,
Fraunhofer CSE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Research study investigating the factors influencing consumer adoption of HEDs and evaluating the resulting electricity consumption.
Author(s)
Hales
Organization(s)
WSU Extension Energy Programs,
PIRC
Publication Date
Description
Report documenting short-term test results of the Shift House and compares the results of Passive House Planning Package and Building Energy Optimization modeling of the project.
Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report that describes BSC's Houses That Work II (HTWII) climate-specific technical resource, beginning with an overall HTWII introduction and four sections explaining the four most important hygro-thermal climate regions: Hot-Humid, Mixed-Humid, Cold, and Hot-Dry/Mixed-Dry.
Author(s)
Stecher Dave,
Allison Katherine,
Prahl Duncan
Organization(s)
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report presenting a cold climate project that examines the relationships among energy efficient single-family residential thermal enclosures, room-to-room temperature variations, and simplified space conditioning systems.
Author(s)
Stecher Dave,
Allison Katherine
Organization(s)
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report about a two-year study intended to document the energy performance of a house in each sub-metered area and compare the performance to modeled predictions and to assess the thermal comfort performance of the single point mini-split heat pump.
Author(s)
Chasar Dave,
vonSchramm Valerie
Organization(s)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Report summarizing a case study about the performance of three occupied homes built in 2009 in San Antonio, Texas.
Author(s)
Neuhauser
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Description
Report about a test home project evaluating strategies to elevate the performance of existing homes to a level commensurate with best-in-class implementation of high performance new construction homes.
Author(s)
Gordon Andrew,
Howard Luke,
Kunkle Rick,
Lubliner Michael,
Auer Dan,
Clegg Zach
Organization(s)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report demonstrating cost-effective energy savings targets as well as improved comfort and indoor environmental quality associated with deep energy retrofits by a large public housing authority as part of a larger rehabilitation effort.
Author(s)
Parker,
Sherwin,
Hermelink
Organization(s)
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Report about an experimental evaluation has been conducted on a night sky cooling system designed to substantially reduce space cooling needs in homes in North American climates.
Author(s)
Osser,
Kerrigan
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date
Description
Report providing information about improving the energy efficiency and long-term durability of the buildings that are being reconstructed post Katrina in New Orleans.
Author(s)
Weitzel,
German,
Porse
Organization(s)
ARBI,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Description
Report presenting performance results from tests conducted on an energy efficiency retrofit project in Stockton, California.
Author(s)
Parker Danny S,
Hoak David,
Cummings Jamie E
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Report briefly reviewing past research on the effects of occupant behavior on residential energy use and then covering a two year pilot evaluation of a low cost residential energy feedback system installed in twenty case study homes in Florida.
Author(s)
Parker Danny S,
Hoak David,
Cummings Jamie E
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Report briefly reviewing past research on the effects of occupant behavior on residential energy use and then covering a two year pilot evaluation of a low cost residential energy feedback system installed in twenty case study homes in Florida.
Author(s)
Dentz Jordan,
Conlin Francis,
Podorson David,
Alaigh Kunal,
Davis T
Organization(s)
Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions Collaborative,
ARIES,
Levy Partnership,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report presenting ways public housing authorities (PHAs) can develop packages of energy efficiency retrofit measures the PHAs can cost-effectively implement with their own staff in the normal course of housing operations at the time when units are refurbished between occupancies.
Author(s)
Lstiburek,
Eng,
Pettit
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Document outlining the approach to quality assurance in the construction process as recommended by Building Science Corporation for new residential construction.
Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph,
Brennan Terry
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Document with important building science considerations, designed for members of the residential construction and remodeling industries, as well as owners and managers who work in affordable housing.
Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Document containing some of the basic characteristics for energy performance, durability, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality that should be met in all high performance homes.
Author(s)
Brozyna Kevin
Organization(s)
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report describing how modification of model specifications to include guidance on energy efficiency measures can create a greater level of consistency in executing energy efficiency retrofit measures across the multiple regions where a developer may work.
Author(s)
Eisenberg Liz,
Shapiro Carl,
Fleischer Wendy
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report describing research efforts focused on examining the audit reports for quality, comprehensiveness, and consistency.
Author(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings
Organization(s)
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report about a tool developed to enable users to compare a typical 1970s ranch home against an IECC 2009 code-compliant home of the same configuration and against the 70s base case plus retrofits.
Author(s)
Zoeller,
Shapiro,
Vijayakumar,
Puttagunta
Organization(s)
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report about a deep energy retrofit Cool Energy House.
Author(s)
Steven Winter Associates
Organization(s)
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet describing tankless hot water heating systems in existing homes.
Author(s)
Steven Winter Associates
Organization(s)
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet describing solar hot water systems in existing homes.
Author(s)
Steven Winter Associates
Organization(s)
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet about envelope and roof moisture control retrofit for a home.
Author(s)
Butler T,
Curtis O,
Kim E,
Roberts S,
Stephenson R
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
Home Innovation Research Labs,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Southface
Publication Date
Description
Report describing construction of test homes in Atlanta, GA meeting Building America savings targets and serving as a basis of design for other homes Martin Dodson plans to build within the Serenbe community.
Author(s)
Lyons
Organization(s)
BA-PIRC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date
Description
Report summarizing commissioning, short-term testing, and analysis that occurred before, during, and just after the actual retrofit of the Bay Ridge project.
Author(s)
German Alea,
Weitzel B,
Backman Christine,
Hoeschele Marc,
Dakin Bill
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Description
Research study presenting a unique opportunity to both identify and evaluate deep retrofit measures that are practical and potentially cost effective for the retrofit market, as well as review the cost effectiveness of the Passive House design approach for achieving energy savings in deep retrofits.
Author(s)
Mallay David,
Del Bianco Marie
Organization(s)
Partnership for Home Innovation,
PHI,
Home Innovation Research Labs
Publication Date
Description
Report following the evolution of the construction quality process from its development for new homes to its application construction of a HPH with enhanced specifications, and its application in a crawlspace renovation.
Author(s)
Savage,
Hunt
Organization(s)
BARA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
Building Media
Publication Date
Description
Report intending to provide useful information as the DOE/BA develops and implements comprehensive communications and outreach strategies for demonstration homes.
Author(s)
Berman Mark,
Smith Pepper,
Porse Erik
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Description
Document targeting retrofit program managers, retrofit contractors, policy makers, academic researchers, and non-governmental organizations that work to realize energy savings from home energy upgrades (HEUs).
Author(s)
Prahl
Organization(s)
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date
Description
Document serving as a starting point that features initial tools and resources for teams to start collaborating to continually improve the energy efficiency and durability of new houses.
Author(s)
German Alea,
Dakin Bill,
Backman Christine,
Weitzel Elizabeth,
Springer David
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Description
Research study determining how well high performance envelope and innovative cooling system interact to cost effectively reduce cooling energy use in this hot-dry climate.
Author(s)
McGeough U,
Baker W,
Peters J,
Beitel A
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
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.
Author(s)
Butler T,
Curtis O,
Kim E,
Roberts S,
Stephenson R
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
Home Innovation Research Labs,
Southface
Publication Date
Description
Report evaluating a test home built in Atlanta, GA in the mixed-humid climate zone. The report outlines the features of the house, discusses the implementation of the energy efficient design, and presents the results of short-term characterization testing.
Author(s)
McIlvaine Janet E R,
Saunders S,
Bordelon E,
Baden S,
Elam L,
Martin Eric
Organization(s)
BA-PIRC,
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
TexEnergy Solutions,
Residential Energy Services Network,
RESNET
Publication Date
Description
Report providing a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis inherent to different models as a way of thinking about the transition from traditional business models into a viable model for delivering deep energy retrofits.