Library

Website blog with guidance about calculating heat-loss.

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.

Factsheet outlining the advantages of using heat pumps, which are an efficient way to heat and cool a home.

Report providing the results of an analysis of humidity control and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system efficiency in three new multifamily buildings in New York, NY.

Fact Sheet describing the need for supplemental dehumidification, dehumidifier configuration options, and design considerations.

A document aimed at reducing the vulnerability of a gable end roof to wind damage in a hurricane.

Webpage providing curriculum with links to presentations and problem sets for teaching an understanding of sizing cold climate heat pumps.

Report providing information about energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) equipment options to help homeowners cut their energy use, reduce their carbon footprint, and increase their homes comfort, health, and safety.

Standards criteria supporting ICC HVAC duct support standards.

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.

Software tool available free online that can help calculate heating and cooling requirements to accurately size HVAC equipment in as little as 15 minutes.

Correcting pressure imbalances in your HVAC system can result in a healthier, more efficient home.

Website providing an online directory of more than 3,600 residential ventilation products lisiting flowrates, sones, watts, and other performance metrics; all listed products have been tested by the Home Ventilating Institute.

Report summarizing the status of a central hydronic heating system project in multifamily housing at the conclusion of the 20112012 heating season.

Report evaluating the relative effectiveness of various control and distribution strategies to improve hydronic space heating performance in existing low-rise multifamily buildings

Article outlining the casuses and solutions for ice dam problems.

Journal article detailing laboratory and simulation studies quantifying the impact that heat pump and air conditioner installation faults have on system capacity and efficiency.

The study described in this white paper is based on building energy modeling with an important focus on the indoor humidity impacts of ventilation.

Report on on lessons learned from building one multifamily home to the Zero Energy Ready Home program requirements.

Report summarizing approaches to addressing duct leakage in hot humid climates.

Report presenting improved air conditioner (AC) and heat pump (HP) modeling methods in the context of whole-building simulation tools.

Presentation on Improving Air-Conditioner and Heat Pump Modeling.

Guide detailing best practices on how to build wall assemblies with absorptive claddings such as brick, stone that drain and dry well.

Report examining the impacts that common installation practices and age- induced equipment degradation may have on the installed performance of natural gas furnaces, as measured by steady-state efficiency and AFUE.

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

Article describing what evaporative coolers are, how they work, different types, performance, where they are appropriate, and how to install and maintain them.

Article describing methods for designing and constructing multifamily buildings with insulating concrete forms (ICFs).

Guide describing the use of a collaborative, multidisciplinary process that considers and optimizes the building as an entire system including its technical equipment and surroundings for efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective construction and operation over the building’s entire lifespan.

Fact sheet describing the newly developed Ventilation-Integrated Comfort System (VICS) that reduces space requirements and eliminates costly ductwork for separate heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, all while enhancing performance, addressing the demand for energy-efficient homes, and...

Report about promoting energy efficiency for Hilton Head Island.

Report describing as-found interior platform return plenums, the magnitude of their contribution to the total amount of duct leakage, and techniques and results of retrofits executed by the HVAC trade during equipment replacement.

Report describing the results of a 21-home field study investigating the effectiveness and failure rates of whole-house mechanical ventilation systems installed in Florida homes over the last 15 years.

Research report discussing the reduction of HVAC energy consumption to meet U.S. greenhouse gas targets and DOE's energy-efficient building goals. It introduces iComfort, an IoT-based system for optimizing home comfort and energy savings.

Information sheet about efficiency and health benefits of MERV filters.

Article describing air leakage in buildings.

Report providing information about laboratory testing of four residential window air conditioners.

Report documenting the measured performance of six residential ENERGY STAR vapor compression dehumidifiers.

Website explaining the LEED v4.1 program and providing a portal for those who want to investigate or start a LEED project.

Report on whole-house and spot ventilation strategies for improved indoor air quality.

Report on the long-term performance of mini-split heat pumps.

Report presenting long-term evaluation results from a hot-dry climate project that examines thermal and HVAC performance in a highly efficient home.

Document presenting a cost effective method that was used by four builders in the Gainesville, FL area to construct interior ducts in over a dozen site built homes.

If your kitchen has a powerful exhaust fan, it may be pulling air down your chimney or water-heater flue.

Report focusing on managing the driving forces that move air and water vapor across the building envelope.

Standard technical manual with information about HVAC balancing, testing air and hydronic systems.

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 providing information on the impact of various defects and the potential energy savings that can result from proper maintenance, and describing a two-step process for diagnosing and correcting faults. This document is targeted towards home performance contractors who are relatively...

Document covering two fundamental retrofit strategies for air sealing around air handling systems that are located within the living space in an enclosed closet.