Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 172 results:

A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home

2012

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Guide providing information for homeowners and renters on how to clean up residential mold problems and how to prevent mold growth.

A Citizen’s Guide to Radon - The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon

2016

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Report telling consumers the risks of radon, how radon gets into a home, and steps consumers can take to reduce radon exposure in their homes.

A Guide to Residential Energy Storage and Rooftop Solar: State Net Metering Policies and Utility Rate Tariff Structures

2024

Kerby Jessica,

Tarekegne Bethel

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Article describing utility rates, net metering policies, installation costs, financial incentives, and other info for both consumers who are interested in installing renewable energy systems and for energy justice and clean energy advocates.

A Practical Guide to Cool Roofs and Cool Pavements

2012

Global Cool Cities Alliance,

R20 Regions of Climate Action

GCCA,

R20

Guide developed to help contractors, building operators, and city officials successfully adopt cool roof and pavement technology.

A Ventless Gas Fireplace Doesn't Belong in Your Home

2013

Bailes Allison A

Green Building Advisor,

GBA

Information sheet about unvented fireplaces and combustion safety.

AC vs. DC Coupling Energy Storage Systems

2021

Miller Lucas

Mayfield Renewables

Website article describing the advantages and disadvantages of AC and DC battery energy storage systems and inverters for solar power systems.

ACCA Standard 4 - Maintenance of Residential HVAC Systems

2019

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

ACCA

Standard providing nationally recognized, manufacturer-endorsed set of inspection tasks for HVAC maintenance.

Air Infiltration from Attached Garages in Canadian Houses

2001

Fugler Don

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation,

CMHC,

Environment Canada,

Health Canada,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document reporting results from a study done to evaluate effects of automotive emissions from attached garages on the indoor environment.

Air Quality Sensor Performance Evaluation Center

2025

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. EPA

Website describing indoor air quality, and common indoor pollutants and how to reduce exposure to them.

Air Sensors International Conference

2025

University of California

University of California Davis

Website describing archived program inforamtion for the Air Sensors International Conference, hosted by the University of California, Davis.

American Cleaning Institute

2020

American Cleaning Institute

ACI

American Cleaning Institute website homepage.

American National Standard for Hardwood and Decorative Plywood, ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2020

2020

American National Standards Institute,

Decorative Hardwoods Association

ANSI,

DHA

Standard detailing the specific requirements for all face, back, and inner ply grades as well as formaldehyde emissions, moisture content, tolerances, sanding, and grade marking which was published in 2020, can be acquired through a subscription with the ANSI webstore.

An Update on Formaldehyde

2016

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

USCPSC

Updated detailed information about Formaldehyde.

Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness, FEMA P-2064

2020

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Report explaining how to develop, practice, and maintain emergency plans that reflect what must be done before, during, and after a disaster to protect people and their property.

Asbestos: Worker and Employer Guide to Hazards and Recommended Controls

2015

National Institution of Health,

et al.

NIH,

OSHA,

EPA,

HUD

Guidance from HUD, EPA, NIH, and FEMA for workers who deal directly with asbestos.

ASHRAE Position Document on Indoor Carbon Dioxide

2025

American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers

ASHRAE

Document describing recent discussions on indoor carbon dioxide (CO 2) levels.

ASTM D8405-21 Standard Test Method for Evaluating PM2.5 Sensors or Sensor Systems Used in Indoor Air Applications

2021

ASTM International

Attached Garages and Indoor Air Quality

2001

Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre

AIVC

Report describing information for builders and retrofitters about eliminating hazards and coincidental energy losses that come from attached garages.

Backup Power Options to Prepare for the Next Power Outage

2019

Suntegrity Solar

Webpage from Suntegrity Solar describing different backup power generator options to prepare for future power outages.

Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Comparison

2021

Clean Energy Reviews

CER

Website providing comparison charts and reviews of battery energy storage systems for solar power systems.

Building Codes and Regulations for Solar Water Heating Systems

2012

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Website with consumer and contractor information about building codes and regulations for solar water heating systems.

Carbon Monoxide - Environmental Health Effects Research Series

1977

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

National Service Center for Environmental Publications

EPA,

NSCEP

Source for information about Carbon Monoxide including health effects and measures to reduce exposure.

Change Is In the Air

2014

The Cadmus Group

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,

HUD

This is a guide for establishing smoke-free policies in public housing and multifamily properties.

Climate Safe Housing - Strategies for Multifamily Building Resilience

2023

Enterprise Community Partners

ECP

Webpage providing information on how window shading can reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.

Combustion Appliance Safety & Efficiency Testing

1995

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Information sheet summarizing inspection and testing of combustion appliances taught during the 2006 Florida whole-house weatherization training as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hot Climate Initiative.

Comparative Evaluation of the Impact of Roofing Systems on Residential Cooling Energy Demand in Florida

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Study investigating measured cooling energy performance in side-by-side identical homes with varying roof types, including cool roof technologies.

Construction and Demolition: How to Properly Dispose of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Equipment

2011

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

A website explaining how to properly dispose of old refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.

Consumer Tips for a Post-Disaster Home Restoration

2015

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUD

Brochure helping homeowners identify hazards, work with contractors to remove the hazards, help ensure the work is done properly, and educate when they can return safely to the home.

Consumer’s Guide to Radon Reduction - How to Fix Your Home

2016

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Report telling consumers how radon gets into a home and how to reduce radon entry into a home.

Cool Roofs

2023

ENERGY STAR

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA,

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR webpage discussing the costs and benefits of cool roofs.

Cool Roofs Help Reduce Energy Costs

2023

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA

Web page providing information on the types of cool roofs and their benefits to consumers.

Cool Surfaces Savings Explorer

2018

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

LBNL

Tool developed by LBNL to calculate potential savings from increasing wall and roof solar reflectance.

Cooling Related Performance of Finished and Unfinished Metal Roofing Systems

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Study reporting the results of comparative testing of the effect of finished and unfinished metal roofing systems on cooling energy performance in a test facility.

CPA Publishes VOC Emission Barrier Effects Technical Bulletin - VOC Emission Barrier Effects of Laminates, Overlays and Coatings for Particleboard, Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) and Hardboard

2024

Composite Panel Association

CPA

Technical bulletin addressing surfacing options in regards to composite wood panels and their emission barrier capabilities.

Decay of Wood

1969

Baker Maurice C

National Research Council Canada,

NRC

Article describing the causes of wood decay and moisture issues.

Discussion of Strategies for Mounting Photovoltaic Arrays on Rooftops

2001

Barkaszi Stephen F,

Dunlop James P

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

A research paper exploring the installation and mounting of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on rooftops and the challenges faced by system designers and installers.

DOE Solar Decathlon Website

2023

Solar Decathlon,

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Website for the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon competition.

DOE Steep Slope Calculator

2005

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

ORNL,

DOE

Simple web-based tool allowing homeowners to calculate the potential savings from installing a cool roof.

DOE Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers Program

2020

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

A PDF containing the SERC Solar PV System Field-Inspection Checklist.

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Solar Hot Water-Ready Checklist (Encouraged)

2019

Zero Energy Ready Home,

U.S. Department of Energy

ZERH,

DOE

Checklist describing solar water heating recommendations per the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program.

Effects of Tilt and Azimuth on Annual Incident Solar Radiation for United States Locations

2001

Christensen Craig B,

Barker Greg M

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Mountain Energy Partnership

Study presenting generalized results regarding the effect of surface orientation on annual incident solar radiation for locations in the United States.

Electricity Resilience in Florida: Hurricane Dorian vs Tesla Powerwall

2019

Parker Danny S

CleanTechnica

Article describing a case study in which a whole-house battery and PV system was tested in a home with cooling and refrigeration during a hurricane in Florida.

Energy Savings Plus Health: Indoor Air Quality Guidelines

2014

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

This publication provides a set of best practices for improving indoor air quality in conjunction with energy upgrade work in homes.

Energy-Efficient Florida Home Building, Third Printing

1992

Vieira Robin K,

Sheinkopf Kenneth G,

Sonne Jeffrey K

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Document talking about the topic Energy-Efficient Florida Home Building.

Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool: Emergency Action Plan Shelter-in Place

2020

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA,

U.S. Department of Labor,

DOL

Website providing information on preparing to stay or go, shelter-in-place procedures, and additional resources.

Evaluation of Cellular Shades in the PNNL Lab Homes

2016

Sullivan Greg P,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

DOE-sponsored report describing the experimental setup and results of field studies on using interior cellular shading attachments to reduce solar heat gain in summer and reduce heat loss in winter.

Evaluation of Cellular Shades in the PNNL Lab Homes

2015

Peterson Joseph M,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Report describing the methods and results of a field evaluation of the energy performance of cellular shade window coverings.

Evaluation of Exterior Shades at PNNL Lab Homes and Occupied Field Sites

2020

Cort Katherine A,

Hunt Walter E

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

DOE-sponsored report describing the experimental setup and results of field studies on using exterior fabric shading attachments to reduce solar heat gain, reduce glare, and improve comfort.

Experimental Evaluation of Installed Cooking Exhaust Fan Performance

2010

Singer Brett C,

Delp William W,

Apte Michael G

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Report on the performance of range hood exhaust fans.

Factsheet: What is Indoor Air Quality?

2025

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. EPA

Fact sheet describing indoor air quality (IAQ), including information on common sources of indoor air pollutants and best practices for improving IAQ.