Library

Article describing the factors that can lead to inefficient hot water distribution systems in homes.

Guide describing how to choose energy-efficient water heaters, including heat pump models, with tips on installation, rebates, and incentives for maximizing energy savings.

ENERGY STAR webpage describing how a heat pump water heater works.

Article describing considerations for choosing a room-level air cleaner to improve indoor air quality.

Companion document to the Indoor airPLUS Construction Specifications, providing guidance on identifying compliant products, including industry databases and examples of product labeling.

Report describing the identification of barriers and proposed practical solutions for the design, installation, and market adoption of heat pump water heaters in new low-rise multifamily housing, focusing on studio and one-bedroom units.

Report outlining results from a 2005 hygrothermal pilot study in the South.

Book providing project management guidance in maintaining satisfactory indoor air quality (IAQ) of occupied buildings undergoing renovation or construction.

Journal article presenting modeling of residential gas water heaters via dynamic simulation models to determine the effect of the pilot light on their annual energy consumption.

Report discussing the importance of durability and energy efficiency in building construction.

Article describing ways home owners can improve ventilation in their kitchens.

Webpage describing indoor air quality.

Standard supporting indoor air quality performance by producers, purchasers and policy makers to improve the environmental performance of products and services.

Resource hub describing indoor air quality research performed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Website helping builders, designers, and home energy raters find products that are compliant with the EPA Indoor airPLUS Construction Specification requirements for low-emission materials.

Document outlining specifications that were developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to recognize new homes equipped with a comprehensive set of indoor air quality (IAQ) features.

Website providing the technical specifications and related documents for home builders, subcontractors, architects, and other housing professionals interested in certifying a home to the EPA's Indoor airPLUS program requirements.

Report describing the performance, economics, space heating impacts, and user satisfaction of heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) in the upper Midwest, based on a field study and survey of participants in the MECA HPWH incentive program.

Fact sheet describing principles of insulating steam distribution and condensate return lines as an effective way to prevent energy loss.

Report describing the objective evaluation of space conditioning interactions between heat pump water heaters and home heating systems during winter 2016-2017, revealing a smaller than anticipated impact on space conditioning loads.

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...

Report summarizing results of testing emerging combo water heating technologies under controlled laboratory operations, that differentiate the performance of the various packaged equipment configurations being offered.

Report describing research conducted to support California’s Title 24, Part 6 Building Energy Efficiency Standards by analyzing the impact of installation location and ventilation on heat pump water heater (HPWH) performance, emphasizing the need for proper installation to maximize efficiency...

Guidance from EPA, HUD, NIH, and OSHA on worker and employer interactions with lead contaminants.

Report on the impact of air sealing between the foundation and the living space on radon transport reduction across the foundation and living space floor assembly at fifteen home.

Report identifying the target market for solar water heaters and potential pathways and cost/performance targets that must be met for these systems to realize large energy savings.

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...

Website providing links to the EPA developed map of radon risk in the United States.

Guidebook providing useful examples of high performance retrofit techniques for the building enclosure of wood frame residential construction in a cold and somewhat wet climate.

Document pertaining to design and application guidance for combination space and tankless domestic hot water heating systems used in residential buildings, based on field evaluation, testing, and industry meetings.

Report describing the installation and operation of forced-air heating and domestic hot water combi systems in residential homes.

Document developed to help residential builders and retrofitters transition from tank-type water heaters to tankless water heaters.

Web resource that lays out the pre-work considerations, methods and finishes for installing mechanical insulation.

Website providing medical information about malignant mesothelioma, a cancer related to asbestos exposure.

This paper discusses model validation using data from three thermosiphon systems.

Brochure discussing specific practices for mitigating moisture and mold during the construction process.

Online course describing mold and mold remediation for environmental and public health professionals.

Online course providing an overview of mold prevention and mold remediation.

Worker guidance from EPA, HUD, NIH, and OSHA on how to deal with mold in homes following natural disasters.

Study in which a central heat pump water heater system was monitored in detail and used to create a model for assessing similar systems in various climates.

Standard containing requirements for carbon monoxide (CO) detection and warning equipment intended to protect lives by warning occupants of the presence of CO in sufficient time to allow occupants to escape or take other appropriate action.

Report providing information to researchers, utility program managers, and building owners interested in controlling heating energy waste and improving resident comfort.

Standards for paints and coatings.

American Lung Association web page providing information on particulate matter and indoor air quality.

Article describing particulate matter (PM), what it is, how it can be harmful, and what can be done about it.

Website describing particulate matter (PM) pollution.

Article investigating how a linear input/output relationship can be used as a simple model of the performance of a combination hydronic heating system over heating only, DHW only, and combined loads.

Standards for requirements, performance, construction, workmanship and others for structural-use panels.

Report describing the key findings from the first third-party field validation of 120-volt heat pump water heater (HPWH) technology, addressing the significant barriers to their adoption and emphasizing their potential role in reducing carbon emissions from residential water heating.

Report describing a laboratory assessment on the performance of Rheem 120-volt heat pump water heaters (HPWH), aimed at identifying optimal installation locations for these new "plug-in" models based on comprehensive testing under various conditions.