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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 - 42 of 42

2001 Energy Standards for Residential and Non-Residential Buildings

Author(s)
California Energy Commission
Organization(s)
CEC
Publication Date
Standard containing the 2001 administrative regulations relating to building energy efficiency that applies to all residential and nonresidential buildings in California. The title 24 hotline must be contacted by phone or email to view this standard.

Affordable Passive Solar Planbook for North Carolina

Author(s)
Appalachian Energy Center,
Appalachian State University
Organization(s)
AEC,
App State
Publication Date
Study from Appalachian State University on passive solar design to take advantage of local climate zones for energy conservation.

Building Profile: Hot-Dry/Mixed-Dry Climate: Albuquerque

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
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.

Building Thermal Performance, Extreme Heat, and Climate Change

Author(s)
Matthew J. Nahlik,
Mikhail V. Chester,
Stephanie S. Pincetl,
David Eisenman,
Deepak Sivaraman,
Paul English
Organization(s)
ASCE
Publication Date
Article published by American Society of Civil Engineers on different building types and their effictiveness resisting extreme heat from a building envelope perspective.

Characterization of Framing Factors for Low-Rise Residential Building Envelopes in California

Author(s)
California Energy Commission,
Enermodal Engineering Limited
Organization(s)
CEC,
EEL
Publication Date
Document with information from a workshop addressing framing materials for residential buildings in California. A copy of the document can be requested at the resource link, and an online copy of the document can be found by searching for it on the California Energy Commission's Library Online...

Coastal Climate Resiliency: Retrofitting Buildings for Flood Risk

Author(s)
Frost-Tift,
Mahadevia,
Mills Reeder,
Sheldon,
Squerciati
Organization(s)
Department of City Planning,
New York City
Publication Date
Report describing retrofitting options and methodology for architects, developers, and property owners to use when making decisions about retrofits for common building types in NY.

Construction & Design Considerations in Warmer Climates

Author(s)
Zero Energy Project
Organization(s)
Zero Energy Project
Publication Date
Guidance from Zero Energy Project on construction techniques for warmer climates, such as home orientation, and insulation requirements.

Cool Roofs

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage from U.S. Department of Energy describing 'cool roofs' and their usage for passive home cooling.

De-Icing Ice Dams, BSI-097

Author(s)
Joseph Lstiburek
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Article describing the importance of air sealing, insulation, and roof ventilation in reducing the likelihood of ice dam formation on roofs in cold snowy climates.

Designing Energy Efficient New Homes for a Warm Climate

Author(s)
The Home Energy Community of Practice
Organization(s)
The Home Energy Community of Practice
Publication Date
Article from The Home Energy Community of Practice on designing energy efficient homes in hot climate zones, including home orientation, window location, and roof design considerations.

Designing Houses That Keep Their Cool

Author(s)
Wilson Alex
Organization(s)
Green Building Advisor
Publication Date
Article from Green Building Advisor on strategies to take when building homes to reduce the need for air conditioning, including insulation, windows, site selection, and roofing.

Effect of Cladding Systems on Moisture Performance of Wood Frame Walls in a Mixed-Humid Climate

Author(s)
Drumheller S Craig,
Carll Charles G
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
Home Innovation Research Labs,
Forest Products Laboratory,
FPL,
U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service,
USDA Forest Service
Publication Date
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.

Effect of Residential Ventilation Techniques for Hot and Humid Climates on Indoor Concentrations and Emission Rates of Volatile Organic Compounds

Author(s)
Hodgson Alfred T,
Moyer Neil,
Beal David
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
A report describing six mechanical ventilation strategies that were evaluated for their ability to control indoor humidity levels over 14-day periods with simulated occupancy.

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 Benefits of Application of Massive Walls in Residential Buildings

Author(s)
Desjarlais Andre,
Kosny Jan,
Christian Jeffrey E,
Petrie Thomas W,
Childs Phillip W,
Gawin D
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
Technical University of Lodz,
TUL
Publication Date
Presentation about results from an insulating concrete form energy efficiency study in Knoxville, TN.

Extreme Heat

Author(s)
Ready.gov
Organization(s)
Ready.gov
Publication Date
Webpage from Ready.gov explaining what qualifies as 'extreme heat', how to be safe during an extreme heat event, and how to prepare for extreme heat in homes

Extreme Heat—A Tale of Two Cities, BSI-032

Author(s)
Joseph Lstiburek
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Article from Building Science Corporation on construction techniques for extreme heat conditions in Dubai and Las Vegas.

Home Energy Guide - Techniques, Tactics, & Tips: Ice Dams

Author(s)
Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Information Center
Organization(s)
Minnesota Department of Commerce
Publication Date
Article describing the causes that form ice dams, as well as solutions for preventing future ice dams on roofs, focusing on air sealing to prevent hot air leakage.

How Many Hours-of-Safety Do Our Homes Have in Extreme Weather?

Author(s)
Jacob Corvidae,
Sneha Ayyagari
Organization(s)
RMI
Publication Date
Article from RMI on how climate change is leading to an increase in critical extreme heat hours and what smart building strategies can be taken to mitigate some of these effects including paint color and insulation.

How to Prevent Roof Damage from Winter Ice Buildup

Author(s)
Dorsi Chris
Organization(s)
Montana State University Extension,
MSU Extension
Publication Date
Article from Montana State University Extension explaining how proper insulation techniques can greatly reduce the risks of ice dams on roofs in cold climate zones.

HVAC Sizing Tool

Author(s)
BetterBuilt Northwest
Organization(s)
BetterBuiltNW,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
NEEA
Publication Date
Software tool available free online that can help calculate heating and cooling requirements to accurately size HVAC equipment in as little as 15 minutes.

Keeping Homes and Cities Cool in Extreme Heat

Author(s)
Kyle Mittan
Organization(s)
University of Arizona
Publication Date
Article from University of Arizona on keeping homes cool during extreme heat, both personal and system changes.

Passive Solar Design

Author(s)
Williams College
Organization(s)
Williams College
Publication Date
Article from Williams College on the key elements of passive solar design for homes.

Prevent Home Roof Damage from Heavy Snow and Ice.

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Webpage providing guidance for homeowners on how much snow weight a typical roof can handle and when to consider removing snow from the roof.

Preventing Ice Dams

Author(s)
Paul Fisette
Organization(s)
UMass Amherst Department of Environmental Conservation
Publication Date
Article describing how ice dams form on residential roofs, how they damage homes, and solutions to prevent future dams.

Preventing Ice Dams Fact Sheet

Author(s)
Wisconsin Focus on Energy
Organization(s)
Wisconsin Focus on Energy
Publication Date
Ice dam fact sheet from Wisconsin Focus on Energy explaining how to prevent future ice dams on homes by learning about their formation and mitigation of contributing factors.

Protect Your Home from Ice Dams

Author(s)
IBHS DisasterSafety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
List of recommendations from IBHS on how to protect homes from ice dam formation.

Reduce Ice Dam and Icicle Damage

Author(s)
Kenneth Hellevang
Organization(s)
NDSU
Publication Date
Webpage explaining how to mitigate heat loss through roofs for ice dam prevention.

Smart Guide Passive Cooling

Author(s)
Smarter Homes NZ
Organization(s)
Smarter Homes NZ
Publication Date
Article from Smarter Homes NZ on home building techniques that incorporate passive cooling.

The Importance of Windows in Hot Climates

Author(s)
Kohta Ueno
Organization(s)
Green Building Advisor
Publication Date
Article from Green Building Advisor on the importance of window selection in hot climates, with an emphasis on window glazing.

Thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) demonstration project

Author(s)
McNamara
Organization(s)
NYSERDA
Publication Date
This report describes the results of a multiyear research project that investigated the energy savings attributable to thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) installed on one-pipe steam distribution systems.

Toward Simple, Affordable Zero Energy Houses

Author(s)
Christian Jeffrey E,
Beal David,
Kerrigan Philip
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Paper describing testing for the first of a series of six near net-zero-energy test houses, using the results to work towards the construction of a true net-zero-energy house.

Ultra-Low Energy Residences

Author(s)
Christian Jeffrey E
Organization(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
ASHRAE
Publication Date
Case study about affordable housing in a mixed, humid climate.

When should I worry about snow accumulation on the roof?

Author(s)
Cold Climate Housing Research Center
Organization(s)
CCHRC
Publication Date
Webpage describing how different amounts and types of snow loads affect the structural integrity of roofs and homes.