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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 1 - 50 of 50

Achieving Ducts in Conditioned Space

Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
NREL,
DOE
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing best strategies to bring ductwork on single-story homes with a slab-on-grade foundation in hot, dry climates into the conditioned envelope of the home intending to highlight the pros and cons of multiple ductwork integration strategies, including traditional duct systems in...

Advanced Wall Framing

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
Home Innovation Research Labs,
Southface Energy Institute
Organization(s)
HIRL,
SEI,
DOE
Publication Date
Factsheet describing advanced framing techniques to reduce the amount of lumber used in the construction of wood-framed houses, while providing more space in the walls for insulation.

Air Sealing - Seal Air Leaks and Save Energy!

Author(s)
Southface Energy Institute,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE,
SEI
Publication Date
Brochure with information for homeowners about the benefits of air sealing.

Building America Building Science Advisor

Author(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
ORNL,
DOE
Publication Date
Web based tool providing decision-making guidance for selecting wall assembly components.

Building America Top Innovations 2013 - Attic Air Sealing Guidelines

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Factsheet describing research sponsored by DOE's Building America program to research the importance of attic air sealing and best practice attic air sealing techniques for new and existing homes.

Cooling with a Whole-House Fan

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
DOE Energy Saver webpage summarizing the use of whole-house fans for cooling.

Cooling Your Home Naturally

Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
NREL,
DOE
Publication Date
Short report providing tips on how to reduce heat gain and passively cool a home.

DOE Building Energy Codes Program

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Website providing information on U.S. residential and commercial building codes including adoption status.

DOE Solar Decathlon Website

Author(s)
Solar Decathlon,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Website for the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon competition.

DOE Steep Slope Calculator

Author(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
ORNL,
DOE
Publication Date
Simple web-based tool allowing homeowners to calculate the potential savings from installing a cool roof.

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home National Program Requirements

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Website listing implementation timelines and links to various versions of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home national program requirements.

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Program

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Homepage for DOE's Zero Energy Ready Homes program.

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home PV-Ready Checklist (Revision 07)

Author(s)
Zero Energy Ready Home,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
ZERH,
DOE
Publication Date
Checklist for the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home National Program Requirements Mandatory Requirement 7 (Renewable Ready).

Efficient Earth-Sheltered Homes

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage from U.S. Department of Energy describing using Earth-Sheltered home building techniques in hot climate zones.

Energy Saver

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Website from the U.S. Department of Energy providing consumers with information on saving energy and using renewable energy technologies.

Energy Saver: Heat Pump Systems

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Website with consumer information about residential heat pump systems.

Energy Saver: Laundry

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
DOE's consumer information about energy and laundry.

Energy Savers: Geothermal Heat Pumps

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Online reference containing general information about geothermal heat pumps.

Evaporative Cooler

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage providing tips for installing and maintaining an evaporative cooler.

Evaporative Cooler Tips

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
A webpage by the DOE on tips for saving energy with an evaporative cooler.

Extended Plate and Beam Wall System

Author(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
HIRL,
DOE
Publication Date
Report that demonstrates the durability, constructability, and cost-effectiveness of the extended plate and beam (EP&B) wall system for new construction housing projects in compliance with the International Energy Conservation Code, addressing moisture risk management and high-performance envelope...

Fans for Cooling

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
DOE webpage that gives and overview of fans for cooling.

Geospatial Data Science

Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
NREL,
DOE
Publication Date
Website with prepopulated information about the United States renewable resources.

Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Fact sheet defining a grid-interactive efficient building and its benefits.

HVAC – Cold Climate Heat Pump Sizing

Author(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
PNNL,
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage providing curriculum with links to presentations and problem sets for teaching an understanding of sizing cold climate heat pumps.

Insulate Steam Distribution and Condensate Return Lines

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing principles of insulating steam distribution and condensate return lines as an effective way to prevent energy loss.

Interactive Walk-Through of a Residential Heat Pump Water Heater Installation in Massachusetts

Author(s)
D+R Learn,
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships,
Home Works Energy Inc.,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
This webpage provides an interactive walk-through of the installation of a heat pump water heater in a home in Massachusetts, including how-to videos of the installation, video interviews with the homeowners, installer, and utility program partners, and visual tours of the home before and after...

LED Basics - Solid-State Lighting

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Information about LED lighting technology.

LED Lighting

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
The light-emitting diode (LED) is one of today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technologies.

Lighting Choices to Save You Money

Author(s)
Energy Saver,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage describing high-efficiency lighting choices for homeowners including LEDs, CFLs, and halogen bulbs.

Maine Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) Interactive Tour

Author(s)
D+R Learn,
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships,
Home Works Energy Inc.,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE,
NEEP
Publication Date
This webpage provides an interactive walk-through of the installation of a heat pump water heater in a home in Maine, including how-to videos of the installation, video interviews with the homeowners, installer, and utility program partners, and visual tours of the home before and after installation...

Radiant Barriers

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
U.S. Department of Energy's website describing radiant barriers in homes.

Reduce Pest Intrusion

Author(s)
Building Energy Codes Program,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Guide describing ways builders can block off entry points and otherwise make homes inhospitable to all manner of pests.

Residential Buildings: Foundations

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Website describing the U.S. Department of Energy's residential buildings program.

Residential Fan Efficiency - Code Notes

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
IECC code note explaining new fan efficacy requirements, along with how to determine which fans are affected by the new fan requirements.

Sizing a New Water Heater

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
A website providing information on how to properly size a water heater based on tank size, volume, peak hour demand and other factors.

Small Wind Electric Systems

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
A website discussing the use of consumer-grade small electric wind systems such as turbines to lower energy costs.

Technology Fact Sheet: Weather-Resistive Barriers

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Brochure with information about how to select and install house wrap and other weather-resistive barriers.

The History of the Light Bulb

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
A website covering the history of the lightbulb that includes a helpful timeline to illustrate lightbulb innovation from the 1800s - Present.

Thermostat Controls

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Guide from Energy Star on smart thermostats and offering some guidance for choosing one.

Window Attachments

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
DOE presentation describing a project to study window attachments.