Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Webpage from DOE describing how to conserve energy and save money with a home energy audit.
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 - 33 of 33
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2012 edition of code establishing a baseline for existing building retrofits to reach appropriate safety levels under new construction requirements covered in other ICC codes.
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2012 edition of code establishing regulations involving life and property safety from fires and explosion hazards, including emergency planning, fire department access and water supply, automatic sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and hazardous materials planning and storage.
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2015 edition of code establishing a baseline for energy efficiency by setting performance standards for the building envelope (defined as the boundary that separates heated/cooled air from unconditioned, outside air), mechanical systems, lighting systems and service water heating systems in homes...
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2015 edition of the code establishing regulations to safeguard life and property from the intrusion of wildland fire and to prevent structure fires from spreading to wildland fuels; regulates defensible space and provides ignition-resistant construction requirements to protect against fire exposure...
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
Standards criteria supporting ICC HVAC duct support standards.
Organization(s)
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)
Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions Collaborative,
ARIES,
Levy Partnership
Publication Date
Description
Report describing two retrofit duct sealing techniques - manually-applied sealants and injecting a spray sealant, that were implemented in several low-rise multi-unit buildings in North Carolina.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Article describing correct ways to eliminate water damage by incorporating a sacrificial layer to foundation walls and footings.
Organization(s)
SFGate
Publication Date
Description
News article from SFGate explaining and giving figures on how chimney failure is the most common type of damage to homes during an earthquake.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Birch Point Consulting,
BPC
Publication Date
Description
Research study evaluating energy savings and cost effectiveness of installing low-emissivity (low-e) storm windows over existing windows in residential homes in all climate zones.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report covering exterior energy retrofits of masonry buildings.
Organization(s)
IBACOS
Publication Date
Description
Report outlining the issues with using existing ducts with a new low-load HVAC system, which reduces throw at supply registers causing decreased mixing of supply and room air, leading to potential thermal comfort complaints.
Organization(s)
ABT Systems,
IBACOS
Publication Date
Description
Report identifying two barriers that limit the ability of builders to explore opportunities for higher levels of energy efficiency in housing: the use of duct system materials that inherently achieve airtightness and are right-sized for low-load houses, and, the ability to air seal fire separation...
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)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Research study describing experiments run in an unoccupied 1600 square foot house to evaluate the delivered performance as well as the relative performance of a SEER 21 variable capacity heat pump versus a SEER 13 heat pump.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
ENERGY STAR specifications for residential window, door and skylights, Version 6, effective January 1, 2015.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report outlining research that helps inform best practices for air sealing multi-family buildings in the Northeast.
Organization(s)
FESC
Publication Date
Description
Website providing information about the Gossamer Wind Series Ceiling fans, conceived by Danny Parker at the Florida Solar Energy Center as a means of realizing the energy efficiency and comfort potential of ceiling fans.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet briefly summarizing double stud with spray foam wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet summarizing ICF wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Measure Guideline research report providing simple, long term, and durable solutions when using tapes and flashing membranes in conjunction with the exterior face of rigid polymeric foam sheathing to create the drainage plane of a wall system.
Organization(s)
IBACOS
Publication Date
Description
Report describing recommendations for optimizing flexible duct, constant-volume HVAC systems using junction boxes.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
This document addresses adding—or improving—mechanical ventilation systems to existing homes. The purpose of ventilation is to remove contaminants from homes either directly or by dilution. This report discusses where, when, and how much ventilation is appropriate in a home, including some...
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet providing guidance about the placement of ventilation approaches.
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
DOE case study findings on raised ceiling interior duct systems.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet about reservoir claddings.
Organization(s)
ARBI,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Description
Report evaluating mechanical AC precooling strategies in homes as a method for improving the load factor by shifting cooling operation from on-peak to off-peak hours.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Case study examining the problem of unwanted air transfer from garage to living space and the effectiveness of garage exhaust ventilation or house supply ventilation to provide a solution to that.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Guide designed to help builders better understand and meet the hot water delivery system criteria as specified in EPA's WaterSense New Home Specification.
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Description
Report assessing the performance and cost-effectiveness of a zero net energy community project in Davis, CA.
Organization(s)
County of Shasta California
Publication Date
Description
An example of wildland urban interface construction requirements for new buildings built in very high fire risk zones/areas.