Organization(s)
ECP
Publication Date
Description
Webpage providing information on how window shading can reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.
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
Organization(s)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Publication Date
Description
NOAA webpage providing images and short descriptions of different types of hurricane shutters.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet poster describing an online tool offered within the Building America Solution Center which provides construction guidance for builders and contractors in building and renovating homes to be more resistant to natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes and wildfires, etc.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet poster describing a series of fact sheets and checklists for homeowners to share with contractors to help achieve cost-effective, energy-efficient retrofits for dozens of common home renovation projects.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet poster describing how to add exterior, continuous, rigid insulation to the exterior walls when replacing siding on an existing home.
Organization(s)
ASTM
Publication Date
Description
Specification covering the standard requirements for application of full thickness Portland cement-based plaster for exterior (stucco) and interior work. This standard was produced in the year 2023, and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. There are also other versions of...
Organization(s)
ASTM
Publication Date
Description
Standard that describes a simple, relatively cost-effective approach to evaluating the ability of a variety of materials to support microbial growth using a small chamber method. The current version of this standard was published in the year 2023, and a preview of the standard is available at the...
Organization(s)
ASTM
Publication Date
Description
ASTM standard test method for testing the surface burning response of different building materials. This version of the standard was published in the year 2023 and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. Other versions of the standard were published in the years 2022, 2021, 2020...
Organization(s)
AERC
Publication Date
Description
Website developed by the Attachments Energy Rating Council to provide consumers with credible, relevant, and comparable information about window attachments and their performance.
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Website for the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon competition.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet poster describing benefits and qualification of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) certified Zero Energy Ready Homes and providing eight examples of certified homes.
Organization(s)
Building Green,
DOE,
LBNL
Publication Date
Description
Website sponsored by DOE to provide consumers with intelligent and unbiased guidance on the best window covering for your climate, your needs, and your windows.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet poster describing the certification of window attachment products such as storm windows, roller shades, cellular shade, and solar screens by the Attachment Energy Rating Council (AERC).
Organization(s)
Gas Technology Institute,
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Publication Date
Description
Technical report describing the enhancement of energy efficiency in existing buildings through a systems approach, assessing airflow-focused retrofits for improved energy savings and indoor air quality, considering factors like air leakage, distribution system dynamics, duct leakage, and ventilation...
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Website providing links to the EPA developed map of radon risk in the United States.
Organization(s)
PAMA
Publication Date
Description
Webpage providing information on using awnings to enhance outdoor living space.
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Website providing maps for natural disaster risk in the United States.
Organization(s)
AERC
Publication Date
Description
Webpage providing assistance with finding the AERC climate zone of particular locations to aid in selecting window attachment products.
Organization(s)
NREL
Publication Date
Description
A website providing geospatial data , tools, and maps including data on the U.S. solar resources for solar power.
Organization(s)
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Webpage listing research projects studying deep energy retrofits of homes in Florida.
Organization(s)
CDC
Publication Date
Description
A website providing a checklist of important areas to check when sealing holes inside and outside of the home to prevent entry by rodents and other outside pests.
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
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...
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
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...
Organization(s)
BetterBuiltNW,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
NEEA
Publication Date
Description
Web article describing two options for sizing ductless minisplit heat pumps, including a free HVAC sizing tool.
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Description
Factsheet describing how to test the duct leakage of a manufactured home in the manufactured home factory.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Online course providing an overview of mold prevention and mold remediation.
Organization(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs,
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Publication Date
Description
Technical report describing research aimed to provide window manufacturers with foundational guidance for installing windows in walls with continuous insulation (CI), addressing critical aspects such as evaluating common installation methods, establishing acceptance criteria for window performance...
Organization(s)
New Jersey Institute of Technology,
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Publication Date
Description
Technical report describing the Re-Side Right initiative by the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Building America research team that proposes enhancing home efficiency during the re-siding process by incorporating an insulating layer that acts as both an air barrier and water resistive barrier...
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Description
Resource manual for builders, designers, architects, plumbers, and others interested in the WaterSense Labeled Homes Program providing an overview of the program, explains how to meet the program requirements, gives descriptions of water-saving technologies, and provides links to further resources.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet poster describing a DOE tool that walks homeowners through a series of simple questions to produce a list of retrofit recommendations to improve the energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and durability of the homeowners’ home, while also lowering their carbon footprint.
Organization(s)
University of Brighton
Publication Date
Description
Conference paper describing a proof of concept trial that demonstrated that external roller blinds can reduce heating loads in a room by 20%.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet poster describing the energy efficiency and comfort benefits of thin triple-pane windows as compared to standard triple-pane and double-pane windows.
Organization(s)
City of Fresno
Publication Date
Description
Webpage from the City of Fresno's Water Conservation Program describing household water conservation recommendations, including tips for maintaining evaporative coolers.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Webpage from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describing the EPA WaterSense program including the Mandatory Checklist for WaterSense Labeled Homes, information on how to get certified, and information on finding or becoming a WaterSense Home Certifying Organization.
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Description
This fact sheet outlines the requirements for WaterSense® labeled bathroom sink faucets, detailing their water-efficient features, compliance with flow rate standards, how they are tested, how they are built, and how they are verified to ensure their quality and compliance with conservation and...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified clothes washers that highlights the integrated water factor, integrated modified energy factor, top-loading vs. front-loading specifications, efficiency code standards, local requirements, faucet types and regulations for building...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified dishwashers that highlights water cycle specifications, efficiency code standards, water consumption level relation to criteria, the advantages of ENERGY STAR dishwashers, and the regulations for building and verifying a labeled...
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing a comprehensive set of protocols for detecting, addressing, and preventing water leaks in homes, covering pressure-loss testing, visual inspections, and specific leak tests for fixtures and appliances to ensure water efficiency, water management, and high preformance of...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing four different efficient hot water delivery (HWD) systems, the trunk-and branch, core, whole-house manifold, and recirculation, with emphasis on system schematics, piping materials, and regulations to design and verify the systems ensuring that they meet the quality and water...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified kitchen faucets that highlights flow rate specifications, efficiency code standards, local requirements, faucet types and regulations for building and verifying a labeled faucet to ensure it meets the quality and water management...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing water-efficient landscaping through informed landscape design and plant selection, outlining considerations for climate, soil, and maintenance, as well as emphasizing the benefits of native and drought-tolerant plants, all within the context of achieving water efficiency...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing how to effectively build, implement, and verify leak detection and flow monitoring systems, detailing their significance in identifying and preventing leaks, selecting appropriate devices, installation procedures, and verification protocols within the context of water...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the significance of managing service water pressure within recommended ranges through the installation of pressure-regulating valves (PRVs), emphasizing their role in preventing damage, conserving energy, and ensuring water-efficient operation in residential properties; There...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Description
This fact sheet describes the requirements for WaterSense® labeled showerheads in, highlighting their water-saving capabilities, adherence to flow rate criteria, independent performance certification, and how they're built, verified and in alignment with the conservation and water management goals...
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Description
This fact sheet outlines the mandatory inclusion of WaterSense® labeled toilets in homes, highlighting their water-efficient features, certified performance, and leak prevention; The sheet describes the requirements for these features, steps to build, and steps to verify a labeled toilet to insure...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the implementation of water metering and submetering measures in residential properties, particularly multifamily buildings, to enhance water efficiency, usage tracking, and compliance with relevant regulations; It outlines how to build and verify water meters and submeters to...
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the importance and regulation of EPA WaterSense water softeners including the function of cation exchange water softeners, the importance of salt efficiency, the negative impact of hard water on household appliances, softeners that use demand-initiated regeneration with...
Organization(s)
CRS
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet providing recent statistics on wildfires in the U.S.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet poster describing and comparing the energy-saving and comfort benefits of window attachment options such as low-emissivity storm windows, automated blinds, cellular shades, and solar screens, etc.
Organization(s)
AERC
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet providing information on window attachments and their potential for improving energy efficiency.