Library

Report on air-sealing programs for energy-efficiency retrofits.

Guide on retrofitting insulation in cavities.

Report about a deep energy retrofit Cool Energy House.

Report describing how to construct a frost protected shallow foundation (FPSF) as a practical alternative to a deeper, more-costly foundation in cold regions with seasonal ground freezing and the potential for frost heave.

Information sheet about insulation retrofits for the hot-dry climate zones.

Information sheet about exterior insulation in the hot-dry climate zones.

Report covering non-combustible continuous exterior insulation and non-combustible roof venting.

Q&A article discussing how to address moisture issues in an attic in a wet and humid coastal climate.

Article describing how insulating and air sealing unfinished attic spaces can lead to reduced energy bills in some homes.

Report on hybrid ventilation methods for insulated and sealed crawl spaces.

Report describing construction of test homes in Atlanta, GA meeting Building America savings targets and serving as a basis of design for other homes Martin Dodson plans to build within the Serenbe community.

Report evaluating the renovation of a 5,800-ft2, multiuse facility located in St. Petersburg, on the west coast of central Florida, in the hot-humid climate.

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.

How hard can it be to insulate a flat sheet of concrete? I mean you only have three choices – on the top, on the bottom, or on the edge. OK, you might have some combination of the three as well.

Fact sheet describing building envelope performance measures applicable to residential and small commercial construction.

Webpage providing information about design snow loads and a free interactive ground snow load mapping tool for the contiguous United States, as well as snow load calculation methods.

Factsheet describing the use of rigid foam insulation to meet energy efficiency requirements and minimize fire risks.

Job Process sheet for the manufactured housing industry showing how to split and notch insulation batts to fit around electrical boxes and wiring in a factory production environment.

SPFA website homepage.

Literature review from NFPA on the use of insulation to protect the piping in home fire sprinkler systems from freezing conditions.

Guide describing the installation of windows in walls that have foam plastic insulating; guide provides several methods for attaching, supporting, and flashing windows in walls with rigid foam sheathing. (Note: The link only goes to the table of contents for the guide, the full guide can be...

This standard specification covers the classification, composition, physical properties, and dimensions of mineral fiber (rock, slag, or glass) blanket intended for use as thermal insulation on surfaces at various temperature ranges. This version of the standard was published in the year 2019 and is...

Information sheet about buried ducts.

A website providing timely and accurate forecasts and watches for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes over the contiguous United States.

Report providing information based on research and case studies, to remodelers and consumers about opportunities to increase home energy performance.

Report following the evolution of the construction quality process from its development for new homes to its application construction of a HPH with enhanced specifications, and its application in a crawlspace renovation.

Document serving as a starting point that features initial tools and resources for teams to start collaborating to continually improve the energy efficiency and durability of new houses.

Conference paper describing testing of the performance of fasteners used to attach rigid foam insulation to the exterior of walls.

A research paper discussing the use of foundation heat exchangers for ground source heat pump systems in European climates.

Research study determining how well high performance envelope and innovative cooling system interact to cost effectively reduce cooling energy use in this hot-dry climate.

This document covers a description of the need and applied solutions for supplemental dehumidification in warm-humid climates, especially for energy efficient homes where the sensible cooling load has been dramatically reduced.

Research study making several recommendations to whole-home program designers and implementers for improving the cost effectiveness and reach of whole-home programs.

Brochure describing insulation approaches for homes with slab-on-grade floors.

Brochure with information about how to select and install house wrap and other weather-resistive barriers.

Article describing a research study exploring how effective interior insulation systems are at keeping basements dry and warm.

Article from Green Building Advisor on the importance of window selection in hot climates, with an emphasis on window glazing.

Report providing a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis inherent to different models as a way of thinking about the transition from traditional business models into a viable model for delivering deep energy retrofits.

Report about seeking a 30% source energy savings targets over a comparable 2009 International Energy Conservation Code-built home in the cold climate zone, using simple measures.

Report developed for Habitat for Humanity about lessons learned from demonstration retrofit projects undertaken by Habitat for Humanity affiliates in New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania; with building systems consulting and technical assistance provided by Steven Winter Associates.

Article describing thermal bridging, construction practices that encourage thermal bridging, and solving thermal bridging through continuous exterior insulation.

Standard 55 specifies conditions for acceptable thermal environments and is intended for use in design, operation, and commissioning of buildings and other occupied spaces; is the current version of the standard, which was published in the year 2021, and is available for preview and purchase at the...

Article describing the evolution of the IRC to permit class 3 vapor retarders (latex paint) in walls coupled with exterior continuous insulation to allow drying and reduce condensation risk.

Article describing how an affordable multifamily building achieved energy savings for the same cost as code-minimum construction.

Factsheet providing design guidance for engineers describing how to characterize snow drifts on roofs in three dimensions rather than two, as anticipated in the 2022 edition of the standards, ASCE 7 - Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures.

Report about partnership to build three communities of net zero houses.

Information sheet about types and installation of insulation.

Website providing guidance for people to find and use tools, information, and subject matter expertise to build climate resilience.

Webpage for the United States Geological Survey for the Department of the Interior.

Presentation describing the challenges of insulating an existing basement, presented to the Building America residential energy-efficiency stakeholder meeting.

Interactive map maintained by the USDA showing plant hardiness zones throughout the U.S.