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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 201 - 250 of 465

Field Validation of a Smart Energy Recovery Ventilation System Using Low-Cost Indoor Air Quality Sensors

Author(s)
Hains Bryant,
Abi Saab Rawad,
Giddings Tylesha,
Magande Hugh,
Grygier Jenna,
Liang Donghai,
Gao Han,
Sarnat Jeremy,
Horner Elliott
Organization(s)
Southface
Publication Date
Technical report on a field validation study that utilizes low-cost indoor air quality sensors to assess a smart ventilation system's effectiveness in maintaining acceptable indoor humidity in low-load homes in humid environments, revealing that while the smart ventilation algorithm demonstrated...

Gas Shutoff Devices

Author(s)
Pacific Gas & Electric
Organization(s)
PG&E
Publication Date
Webpage describing when and how to safely turn off the natural gas to the home during an emergency.

Gas Shutoff Valve Certification for Residential Structures

Author(s)
Commins Tav
Organization(s)
State of California Division of the State Architect
Publication Date
Webpage with certification requirements for excess flow and earthquake valves from California's Division of the State Architect (DSA).

General PV Specification

Author(s)
Aldrich Robb
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Brochure on specifications for PV systems.

General Solar Thermal Specification

Author(s)
Aldrich Robb
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Brochure on specifications for solar thermal systems.

Geothermal (Ground-Source) Heat Pumps: Market Status, Barriers to Adoption, and Actions to Overcome Barriers

Author(s)
Hughes Patrick J
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report investigating the status of the geothermal heat pump (GHP) industry and technology in the United States, assembling GHP energy savings potential, identifying key barriers to application of GHPs, and identifying actions that could accelerate adoption of GHPs.

Greenbuilt Retrofit Test House Final Report

Author(s)
Earle Lieko,
Tabares-Velasco Paulo Cesar,
Barker Greg M,
Hudon Kate,
Sparn Bethany,
Hancock C E
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Mountain Energy Partnership
Publication Date
Research report presenting results of short term tests on measures used in an energy efficiency retrofit project in California.

Groundwater Control, Info-101

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Information sheet about groundwater control.

Guide to Closing and Conditioning Ventilated Crawlspaces

Author(s)
Dickson Bruce
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Report explaining the issues and concerns with conventional ventilated crawlspaces and to outline prescriptive measures for improvements that will create healthier and more durable spaces.

Guide to Determining Climate Zone by County: Building America and IECC 2021 Updates

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L,
Antonopoulos Chrissi A,
Margiotta Evan R,
Cragin Molly,
Kaltreider Christian E
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Report identifying Building America and 2021 International Energy Conservation Code climate zone designations for every county in the United States; where a county's climate zone designation has changed since the 2018 IECC, that change is indicated as well.

Guide to Insulating Sheathing

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Guide providing information on using exterior foam insulating sheathing in building wall assemblies to enhance thermal performance.

Heat Pump Retrofit Strategies for Multifamily Buildings

Author(s)
Steven Winter Associates,
Natural Resources Defense Council
Organization(s)
SWA,
NRDC
Publication Date
Report describing the various heat pump retrofit options for multifamily buildings in the U.S., segmented by building typology and heating system, to support better environmental, economic, and health outcomes.

Heat Pump Water Heater Model Validation Study

Author(s)
Ecotope,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Organization(s)
Ecotope,
NEEA
Publication Date
Report describing the significant potential for energy use reductions through heat pump water heaters, which have been a crucial part of Northwest power plans for decades and have recently achieved substantial savings with new integrated models and climate specifications.

High-Efficiency Window Air Conditioners

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Factsheet profiling a simple modification that can be made to window air-conditioners to improve their energy efficiency.

High-R Walls for New Construction Structural Performance: Wind Pressure Testing

Author(s)
Desjarlais Andre O,
Kochkin Vladimir
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Report with test results that serve as a baseline of data for further material tests of other high-R wall systems and for comparison to whole-house wind pressure testing.

Home Cooling Systems

Author(s)
Energy Saver
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Website providing information on low-energy and standard cooling systems, with a focus on saving energy.

Home Energy Displays: Consumer Adoption and Response

Author(s)
LaMarche Janelle,
Cheney Kate,
Akers Craig,
Roth Kurt,
Sachs Olga
Organization(s)
Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems,
Fraunhofer CSE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Research study investigating the factors influencing consumer adoption of HEDs and evaluating the resulting electricity consumption.

Homeowner's and Renter's Guide to Reducing Radon After Disasters

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Organization(s)
EPA,
FEMA,
HUD
Publication Date
Homeowner guidance from EPA, FEMA, HUD, and NIH on dealing with radon following a natural disaster.

Hot Water Distribution System Model Enhancements

Author(s)
Hoeschele Marc,
Weitzel Elizabeth
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Report on a project that enhanced the HWSIM distribution system model to more accurately model pipe heat transfer.

Hot Water Solutions

Author(s)
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Organization(s)
NEEA
Publication Date
Website for consumers describing heat pump water heater technology and linking to retailers and installers.

Hot Water Solutions: Buyer's Guide

Author(s)
Hot Water Solutions NW
Organization(s)
HWS NW
Publication Date
Guide describing how to choose energy-efficient water heaters, including heat pump models, with tips on installation, rebates, and incentives for maximizing energy savings.

Housing Stock Characterization Study: An Innovative Approach to Measuring Retrofit Impact

Author(s)
Kipp Jennison M,
Taylor Nicholas W,
Jones Pierce H
Organization(s)
Building Energy Efficient Housing for America,
BEEHA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Report detailing an evaluation of Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) residential energy efficiency demand side management (DSM) programs to assess their impacts and relative measures of energy and economic performance.

How Do Buildings Stack Up

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Article describing the impact of stack effect on building performance, highlighting how pressure differences caused by temperature and height affect air infiltration and exfiltration, and detailing strategies like compartmentalization and distributed mechanical systems to manage airflow and maintain...

How Energy Efficient are Modern Dishwashers?

Author(s)
Hoak David,
Parker Danny S,
Hermelink Andreas H
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Report about measurements of three recent vintage dishwashers of very different efficiencies showing that while they are substantially more efficient than older dishwashers.

HVAC A Guide for Contractors to Share with Homeowners, Volume 14

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L,
Baechler Michael C,
Hefty Marye G,
Hand James R,
Love Pat M
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report providing information about energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) equipment options to help homeowners cut their energy use, reduce their carbon footprint, and increase their homes comfort, health, and safety.

HVAC in Multifamily Buildings

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Paper providing a comprehensive overview of HVAC system design considerations and challenges specific to multifamily residential buildings, focusing on optimizing performance and addressing common issues.

Impact of Residential Mechanical Ventilation on Energy Cost and Humidity Control

Author(s)
Martin Eric
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS
Publication Date
The study described in this white paper is based on building energy modeling with an important focus on the indoor humidity impacts of ventilation.

Implementing a Zero Energy Ready Home Multifamily Project

Author(s)
Springer David,
German Alea
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Report on on lessons learned from building one multifamily home to the Zero Energy Ready Home program requirements.

Improved Modeling of Residential Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps for Energy Calculations

Author(s)
Cutler Dylan,
Winkler Jon,
Kruis Neal,
Christensen Craig B,
Brandemuhl Michael J
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
University of Colorado,
CU
Publication Date
Report presenting improved air conditioner (AC) and heat pump (HP) modeling methods in the context of whole-building simulation tools.

Improving Recessed Lighting

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Report providing information about techniques and approaches to improve the efficiency of recessed lighting.

Install Window Shutters

Author(s)
Knowles III Hal S,
Ruppert Kathleen C,
Lenfesty Karla A,
Halderman Barbara
Organization(s)
University of Florida IFAS Extension
Publication Date
This document covers how broken windows can allow wind and rain inside the house and even lead to roof failure.