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Library

Explore this extensive library of building science guidance including research reports from DOE’s Building America program as well as hundreds of other articles, fact sheets, webpages, and reference documents related to constructing and renovating homes.

Showing 51 - 100 of 114 results:

Fixing Wet Basements and Crawlspaces

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Todd Jason
·
Organization(s)
Home Energy Magazine
Description
Article describing methods to manage moisture, rainwater, and vapor in basements and crawlspaces.

Foundation Design Handbook

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Carmody John,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
University of Minnesota
Description
Handbook providing guidance on the design and construction of foundations for homes, including insulation, air sealing, and water management details for basements, crawlspaces, and slabs.

Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Williams Randy
·
Organization(s)
Green Building Advisor,
GBA
Description
Article describing what the building codes say about frost-protected shallow foundations as a cost-saving alternative to conventional concrete foundations.

Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations 1

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Holladay Martin
·
Organization(s)
Fine Homebuilding
Description
Guides describing frost-protected shallow foundations as an alternative method for building an energy-efficient foundation for a house in a cold climate that uses less concrete and saves on labor.

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

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Hughes Patrick J
·
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Description
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.

Ground Source Heat and Cooling

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Seth Masia
·
Organization(s)
American Solar Energy Society,
ASES
Description
Website article discussing the economics of ground source heat pumps.

Heat & Cool Efficiently

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
·
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Description
A ENERGY STAR guide on efficient heating, ventilation and cooling systems in residential homes.

Heat Pump Water Heater Model Validation Study

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Ecotope,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
·
Organization(s)
Ecotope,
NEEA
Description
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.

Heat Pumps for Heating and Cooling

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Town of Concord Massachusetts
·
Organization(s)
Town of Concord Massachusetts
Description
Webpage providing basic information on various types of heat pumps and their applications in Massachusetts.

Heating and Cooling With a Heat Pump

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Natural Resources Canada
·
Organization(s)
Natural Resources Canada
Description
Report providing information for HVAC designers, installers, and consumers about air source heat pumps.

HVAC – Cold Climate Heat Pump Sizing

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
·
Organization(s)
PNNL,
DOE
Description
Webpage providing curriculum with links to presentations and problem sets for teaching an understanding of sizing cold climate heat pumps.

HVAC in Multifamily Buildings

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
·
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Description
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.

HVAC System Pressure Relief

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Raymer Paul H,
Moyer Neil
·
Organization(s)
Tamarack Technologies,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Description
Correcting pressure imbalances in your HVAC system can result in a healthier, more efficient home.

Innovation in Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Green Home Institute
·
Organization(s)
Green Home Institute
Description
Video describing how a frost-protected shallow foundation (FPSF) is constructed and including use of a stay-in-place EPS (expanded polystyrene) footing form that provides insulation and simplifies the installation of frost-protected monolithic concrete slab foundations.

Innovation in Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Green Home Institute
·
Organization(s)
Green Home Institute
Description
Video describing how a frost-protected shallow foundation (FPSF) is constructed and including use of a stay-in-place EPS (expanded polystyrene) footing form that provides insulation and simplifies the installation of frost-protected monolithic concrete slab foundations.

Interaction between Heat Pump Water Heaters or Other Internal Point Source Loads and a Central Heating System

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Widder Sarah H,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
NEEA,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Description
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.

Keeping Warm during Winter Power Outages

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences & Family and Consumer Sciences
·
Organization(s)
University of Georgia
Description
Webpage describing how to conserve heat or find alternative heat sources during a power outage to keep one room warm.

Load Calculation Tools for Ductless Heat Pumps

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
BetterBuilt Northwest,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
·
Organization(s)
BetterBuiltNW,
NEEA
Description
Web article describing two options for sizing ductless minisplit heat pumps, including a free HVAC sizing tool.

Measure Guideline: Buried and/or Encapsulated Ducts

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Mantha Pallavi,
Zoeller William,
Shapiro Carl
·
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Description
Project discussing buried or encapsulated ducts and their pros and cons.

Mini-Split Heat Pumps Multifamily Retrofit Feasibility Study

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Dentz Jordan,
Henderson Hugh,
Podorson David
·
Organization(s)
Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions,
ARIES,
Levy Partnership,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Description
This report investigates whether mini-split heat pumps can live up to their potential for one market segment: multifamily retrofits.

Moisture Control for Residential Buildings

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
·
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Description
Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

NEEP’s Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pump List

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships
·
Organization(s)
NEEP
Description
Database compiling extended capacity data for numerous cold climate heat pump manufacturers and models.

New Light in Crawlspaces, BSI-009

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
·
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Description
Building science insight into crawlspaces.

Oilheat America: Burners

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Oilheat America
·
Organization(s)
Oilheat America
Description
A website providing information on the purpose of burners and the components used in burners.

Passive Design

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Green Home Technology Center
·
Organization(s)
Ohio State University Extension,
OSU
Description
Website providing guidance on passive heating, cooling, and lighting methods.

Passive Solar Design

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Williams College
·
Organization(s)
Williams College
Description
Article from Williams College on the key elements of passive solar design for homes.

Performance of Combination Hydronic Systems

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Butcher Thomas
·
Organization(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
ASHRAE
Description
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.

Plant for the Sun!

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Forestry and Natural Resources
·
Organization(s)
Purdue University
Description
Blog article describing considerations for how to use trees for shading to reduce cooling energy demand.

Pump Day Procedures

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ICF Systems
·
Organization(s)
Massachusetts Building Products
Description
Information sheet including a checklist of steps to follow for pouring concrete.

Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
·
Organization(s)
DOE
Description
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 Ground Source Heat Pump Systems Utilizing Foundation Heat Exchangers

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Spitler Jeffrey D,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
Oklahoma State University,
OSU,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL
Description
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.

Revised Builder’s Guide to Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing,
National Association of Home Builders
·
Organization(s)
HUD,
PATH,
NAHB Research Center
Description
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.