Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
Code describing energy codes for energy-conserving and compliant designs in Florida.
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 51
Organization(s)
ABTCO Vinyl Siding
Publication Date
Description
Vinyl siding estimating and installation guide for vinyl siding products.
Organization(s)
ACCA
Publication Date
Description
Radiant, hydronics, geothermal -- they are a vital part of modern comfort and energy solutions. ACCA helps hydronics contractors operate at peak performance.
Organization(s)
American Plywood Association,
APA
Publication Date
Description
Detailed guide to advanced framing, a system of construction framing techniques designed to optimize material usage and increase energy efficiency.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
The Builder's Guide provides the building industry with the latest and best practical information on how to apply building science principles to structures as systems in hot-humid climate regions.
Organization(s)
Green Building Advisor
Publication Date
Description
Website providing CAD files and drawings of advanced framing details.
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
Document outlining building science principles about air flow, heat flow and moisture flow in homes.
Organization(s)
National Roofing Contractors Association,
NRCA
Publication Date
Description
An article discussing how different metal roof materials and attachment methods affect the ability of the roof to thermally expand and contract and the durability of different solutions.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report on the stability of furring strips as a means for cladding attachment over walls with thick exterior rigid insulation.
Organization(s)
Fraunhofer CSE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Research study investigating the energy performance and cost effectiveness of several state-of-the-art retrofit strategies that could be used in residential houses in the Boston and New England area.
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)
CIEC
Publication Date
Description
Website providing building science based guidance for residential construction.
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)
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)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Description
Guidance document on deep energy retrofits.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Information about dense pack, cellulose insulation.
Organization(s)
National Association of Home Builders,
NAHB,
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
USDA
Publication Date
Description
The objective of this research was to quantify the field performance of wood-frame walls clad with a variety of common claddings in a mixed-humid climate.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report on problems and solutions with EIFS stucco wall cladding systems.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Discussion of structural thermal resistance.
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Website from the U.S. Department of Energy providing consumers with information on saving energy and using renewable energy technologies.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet with details on a building enclosure designed for Albuquerque, NM, as an example for building enclosures built for hot-dry and mixed-dry climates.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet that summarizes Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) construction including advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.
Organization(s)
Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions,
ARIES
Publication Date
Description
Report on the field evaluation of whole-building approaches and estimation of the relative contributions of select technologies toward reducing energy use related to space conditioning in new manufactured homes.
Organization(s)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Research report assessing the moisture and cooling load impacts of airtightness and mechanical ventilation in homes in hot-humid climates.
Organization(s)
FSC
Publication Date
Description
Document that gives a step-by-step approach for designing attachments for cladding materials through foam sheathing.
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Research study describing field testing performed in 32 two-story Florida homes to characterize wind washing failures of the house air and thermal boundary.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Technical report assessing the market for Low-e storm windows based on market data, case studies, and recent experience with weatherization deployment programs.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Guidebook providing useful examples of high performance retrofit techniques for the building enclosure of wood frame residential construction in a cold and somewhat wet climate.
Organization(s)
Ply Gem Siding Group
Publication Date
Description
Siding installation guide for Ply Gem Siding Group products.
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
FEMA report describing findings from an investigation of Hurricane Ike in Texas and Louisiana and residential construction recommendations based on those findings.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.
Organization(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs,
HIRL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
The next generation of building enclosures is a key step toward achieving high-performance goals through decreasing energy load demand and enabling advanced space-conditioning systems. Yet the adoption of high-R enclosures and particularly high-R walls has been a slow-growing trend because...
Organization(s)
WSU Extension Energy Program,
Washington State Department of Community Trade and Economic Development
Publication Date
Description
Conference paper making the case that moving ducts to conditioned space saves energy, is practical for production builders (when accompanied by careful pre-planning), and creates significant andmarketable energy savings for homebuyers.
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Report highlighting the evaluation methods used and extent of wind washing found in a study analyzing wind washing in thirty-two two-story homes.
Organization(s)
Technical Services Information Bureau,
Walls & Ceilings
Publication Date
Description
Manual covering design, detailing, material selection and troubleshooting for plaster, IEFs, and drywall, with info on continuous insulation, air barriers, rain screens, fire and sound ratings, etc.
Organization(s)
Building America Research Alliance,
BARA,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Research project aimed to verify whether homes in the New Jersey HPwES program achieved 30% source energy savings, and if so, what measures were implemented to achieve them.
Organization(s)
HIRL
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing methods for flashing and air sealing windows and doors.
Organization(s)
Wisconsin Focus on Energy
Publication Date
Description
High-density sidewall cavity insulation can be a major comfort and savings boost. It saves energy by slowing both conductive and convective losses, but only if the right things are done and done right. This always requires site-specific thinking.
Organization(s)
California Energy Commission,
CEC,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL,
University of Southern California,
USC,
University of California San Diego,
UC San Diego
Publication Date
Description
California Energy Commission report presenting the concept of cool walls and providing guidelines for their building- and climate-appropriate use to conserve energy and reduce emissions.
Organization(s)
ASTM
Publication Date
Description
Standard that details a test method measuring air-leakage rates through a building envelope under controlled pressurization and de-pressurization which was published in the year 2019 and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link.
Organization(s)
ASTM
Publication Date
Description
Standard that describes the principles for the design of a hot box apparatus and the minimum requirements for the determination of steady state thermal performance of building assemblies when exposed to controlled laboratory conditions. The current version of the standard was published in 2019, and...
Organization(s)
ASTM
Publication Date
Description
These test methods describe two techniques for measuring air leakage rates through a building envelope in buildings that may be configured to a single zone which was published in the year 2022 and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link.
Organization(s)
Journal of Light Construction,
JLC
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet describing correct application of stucco.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Document providing an overview of the Thermal Bypass Checklist for the ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes program.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Guide describing details that serve as a visual reference for each of the line items in the Thermal Enclosure System Rater Checklist.
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL
Publication Date
Description
Report sumarizing a workshop to initiate a professional discussion about eventual benefits of the application of massive technologies in US buildings.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
BSD-102 report providing guidance about whether to construct a vented or unvented attic based on hygro-thermal zone.