Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 151 - 199 of 199 results:

Performance and Applicability of Passive and Low-Energy Cooling Systems

1991

Givoni Baruch

University of California Los Angeles,

UCLA

Paper summarizing passive and low-energy cooling systems for buildings.

Plant for the Sun!

2018

Forestry and Natural Resources

Purdue University

Blog article describing considerations for how to use trees for shading to reduce cooling energy demand.

Plug-In Electric Vehicle Handbook for Public Charging Station Hosts

2012

U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. DOE

Document describing helpful information for hosts of public electric vehicle charging stations.

Potential benefits of cool walls on residential and commercial buildings across California and the United States: Conserving energy, saving money, and reducing emission of greenhouse gases and air pollutants

2019

Rosado Pablo,

Levinson Ronnen

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Large scale simulation study investigating the effects of cool roofs and walls on buildings of various vintages across the U.S., with special attention given to California.

Protecting Building Utility Systems From Flood Damage - Principles and Practices for the Design and Construction of Flood Resistant Building Utility Systems Second Edition, FEMA P-348

2017

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Guide describing flood protection measures for utility systems, including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fuel.

PV Primer, BA-0212

2002

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Report aiming to "de-mystify" technology and economic considerations of residential PV systems.

Raise Electrical System Components - Protecting Your Property from Flooding

2008

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Flyer describing reasons and best practices for raising electrical systems above flood-levels.

Rated Roof Products Directory

2023

Cool Roof Rating Council

CRRC

Searchable database of over 3,000 roofing products that have undergone solar reflectance and thermal emittance testing.

Rated Wall Products Directory

2023

Cool Roof Rating Council

CRRC

Searchable database of wall cladding and coating products that have undergone solar reflectance and thermal emittance testing.

Recycling and Disposal of CFLs and Other Bulbs that Contain Mercury

2021

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

A website explaining the benefits of recycling compact fluorescent lightbulbs and how the process can prevent the release of mercury into the environment.

Reducing Residential Peak Electricity Demand with Mechanical Pre-Cooling of Building Thermal Mass

2014

Walker Iain S,

Roux Jordan,

Turner William JN

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

This study used an advanced airflow, energy and humidity modeling tool to evaluate the potential for residential mechanical pre-scooling strategies to reduce peak electriciy demand.

Reducing the Costs of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems: Proceedings of Solar Forum 2001

2001

Dunlop James P,

et al.

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

A report presenting alternative approaches for reducing the costs of roof-mounted, grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems.

Renewable Energy Annual

2012

Energy Information Administration

EIA

Data tables on U.S. renewable energy consumption and general trends in the market for renewable energy.

Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Installation–Workshop Outcomes

2016

Goetzler William,

et al.

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing information from DOE about rules and standards for residential air conditioners and heat pumps.

Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge

2024

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Webpage describing a DOE Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge. The challenge engages industry partners and focuses around the Cold Climate Heat Pumps, a more environmental and efficient heating alternative to traditional heating.

Residential Grid-interactive Efficient Building Technology and Policy: Harnessing the Power of Homes for a Clean, Affordable, Resilient Grid of the Future

2019

Rinaldi Kara Saul,

Bunnen Elizabeth,

Rogers Sabine

AnnDyl Policy Group,

National Association of State Energy Officials,

NASEO

Report identifying efficient, connected, smart, and flexible GEB technologies and their future potential, including barriers and opportunities, recommendations for policymakers, and research needs.

Residential Ground Source Heat Pump Systems Utilizing Foundation Heat Exchangers

2010

Spitler Jeffrey D,

et al.

Oklahoma State University,

OSU,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

Paper covering a parametric study of foundation heat exchanger-based ground source heat pump systems for several house configurations in a range of European locations, with an emphasis on determining feasible combinations.

Residential Mechanical Precooling

2014

German Alea,

Hoeschele Marc

Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,

ARBI,

Davis Energy Group

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.

Residential Solar System Guidelines

2023

City of Burnsville

Brochure detailing the guidelines, recommendations, and preferences of the City of Burnsville for citizens installing solar photovoltaics.

Residential Windows and Window Coverings: A Detailed View of the Installed Base and User Behavior

2013

Bickel Stephen,

Phan-Gruber Emily,

Christie Shannon

D&R International,

D+R International,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

DOE report characterizing the installed base of windows and window coverings, and how users operate window coverings in order to enable precise quantification of energy savings.

Results of Laboratory Testing of Advanced Power Strips

2012

Earle Lieko,

Sparn Bethany

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report summarizing the results of laboratory testing of 20 advanced power strip products.

Room Air Conditioners

2022

Energy Saver,

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Web page providing an overview of room-level air conditioning systems such as window units and mini-splits.

Saving Energy through Advanced Power Strips

2013

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NREL

Infographic providing details on choosing the right advanced power strip based on your habits to reduce the electricity wasted when your electronic devices are idle.

Savings Calculator

2021

ENERGY STAR

A website calculator that can calculate how much you can save by switching to ENERGY STAR certified products.

Science of Cool Roofs

2023

CoolCalifornia

California Air Resources Board

Webpage discussing the characteristics of sunlight and how cool roofs work to reduce solar heat gain.

Simplified Space Conditioning in Low-Load Homes: Results from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, New Construction Unoccupied Test House

2014

Poerschke Andrew,

Stecher Dave

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS

Study conducted to help determine cost-effective solutions for heating and cooling houses that are designed to be energy efficient.

Small Wind Electric Systems

2020

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

A website discussing the use of consumer-grade small electric wind systems such as turbines to lower energy costs.

Solar Battery System Types - AC Vs DC Coupled

2020

Svarc Jason

Clean Energy Reviews,

CER

Website article describing the way solar panels are coupled to AC and DC battery energy storage systems.

Solar Photovoltaic - Specification, Checklist and Guide

2011

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Guidelines to assist builders in designing and constructing homes equipped with a set of features that make the installation of solar energy systems after the completion of the home’s construction easier and less expensive.

SRI Calculator

2023

Levinson Ronnen

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Spreadsheet tool that computes solar reflectance index (SRI) and roof surface temperature based on solar reflectance and thermal emittance using ASTM standard E 1980.

Strategy Guideline: High Performance Residential Lighting

2012

Holton James

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document offering methods to greatly reduce lighting energy use through the application of high quality fluorescent and light emitting diode (LED) technologies.

Team Negawatt

2015

Duarte Carlos,

et al.

Center for the Built Environment,

CBE,

University of California Berkeley,

UC Berkeley

Presentation on urban land use and sustainable building design.

Technician’s Guide & Work Book For Quality Installation

2010

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

ACCA

The Technician's Guide equips practitioners with the knowledge to properly implement all of the measurement procedures required in the HVAC QI Specification.

Testing the Performance and Dynamic Control of Energy-Efficient Cellular Shades in the PNNL Lab Homes

2018

Cort Katherine A,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Efficiency Solutions

DOE-sponsored report describing the experimental design and results of testing the energy performance of Hunter Douglas double-cell cellular shades under various control schemes in the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Lab Homes.

The History of the Light Bulb

2013

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

A website covering the history of the lightbulb that includes a helpful timeline to illustrate lightbulb innovation from the 1800s - Present.

This White Paint Could Reduce the Need for Air Conditioning by Keeping Surfaces Cooler Than Surroundings

2020

Wiles Kayla

Purdue University

Article from Purdue University on the potential for white paint technology to lower air conditioning usage requirements.

Tips & Resources - Evaporative Coolers

2023

City of Fresno

Webpage from the City of Fresno's Water Conservation Program describing household water conservation recommendations, including tips for maintaining evaporative coolers.

Types of Lighting

2013

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Website with consumer information about various types of lighting.

U-Finder

2025

Joint Office of Energy and Transportation,

U.S. Department of Energy,

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

U.S. DOE,

EERE

Tool designed to find utility partners that can help with the installation of EV chargers.

Users Guide: Cold Climate Heat Pump Sizing Support Tools

2024

Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships

NEEP

Users guide to help contractors and homeowners use the Cold Climate Heat Pump Sizing Support Tools developed by NEEP to size and select the best air source heat pumps for their cold climate location.

Using a Ventilation Controller to Optimize Residential Passive Ventilation For Energy and Indoor Air Quality

2014

Walker Iain S,

Turner William JN

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

This study uses a computer simulation approach to examine the energy and indoor air quality implications of passive and hybrid ventilation systems.

Using Backup Generators: Choosing the Right Backup Generator - Homeowners

2021

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

A reference guide providing basic tips on using backup generators safely and effectively.

What are the Connections between Mercury and CFLs?

2021

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

A website explaining the connection between using compact fluorescent lightbulbs and the amount of mercury released into the environment.

What is a Cool Exterior Wall?

2023

Cool Roof Rating Council

CRRC

Web page explaining what a cool exterior wall is and how they work, as well as benefits to their use and links to research studies.

What is a Cool Roof?

2023

Cool Roof Rating Council

CRRC

Web page explaining what a cool roof is and how they work, as well as benefits to their use and links to research studies.

Who's Leading: The Dance Between Mini-Splits and Existing HVAC Systems

2020

Metzger Cheryn E

Conference paper presented at the 2020 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings presenting the results of an evaluation of control strategies used when new mini-splits are installed in a home with an existing HVAC system.

Whole House Fans

2004

Pacific Gas and Electric Company

PG&E,

California Public Utilities Commission

Technical fact sheet describing proper operation, sizing, and installation of whole-house fans.

Window Attachments: Call to Action

2023

Attachments Energy Rating Council

AERC

Fact sheet providing information on window attachments and their potential for improving energy efficiency.

Zion National Park Visitor Center: Significant Energy Savings through a Whole-Building Design Process

2002

Hayter S,

Judkoff Ron,

Torcellini Paul

American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy,

ACEEE

Report detailing passive design strategies used at the Zion National Park Visitor Center, including evaporative cool towers.