Library

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 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 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.

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.

Report on performance of current diagnostics as well as a draft test method for use in future air flow evaluations.

Guidance on performance of current diagnostics as well as a draft test method for use in future air flow evaluations.

Report presenting lab evaluation of five heat pump water heaters available in the US market today.

Report proposing mini-split heat pumps as a new retrofit option to replace resistance heating in the Pacific Northwest.

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

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.

Project discussing buried or encapsulated ducts and their pros and cons.

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

Document intended for designers and installers of hydronic heating systems interested in maximizing the overall system efficiency of condensing boilers when coupled with baseboard convectors. It is applicable to new and retrofit projects.

Report providing step-by-step instructions for heating contractors and hydronic designers for selecting the proper control settings to maximize system performance and improve response time when using a thermostat setback.

Document with evaluation of 14 heat pump water heaters (including three recently released HPWH products) installed in existing homes in the northeast region of the United States.

Document covering installation of high efficiency gas furnaces, including when to install a high efficiency gas furnace as a retrofit measure, how to identify and address risks, and steps to follow for the selection and installation process.

Report describing the most cost-effective ventilation and indoor air quality solutions for multifamily homes that meet ASHRAE 62.2-2016.

Research study outlining results of monitoring a low temperature heat pump.

Report summarizing a case study about the performance of three occupied homes built in 2009 in San Antonio, Texas.

Standard that prescribes a testing method to determine the efficiency of space heating and/or cooling thermal distribution systems under seasonal and design conditions. This version of the standard was published in the year 2014, and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. The...

This report investigates whether mini-split heat pumps can live up to their potential for one market segment: multifamily retrofits.

Factsheet describing smart practices for minimizing damage to residential electrical service components during coastal and riverine flood events.

Website describing Minnesota Power’s New Construction Energy Efficiency program that promotes building practices and technologies that enhance new residential construction.

Book with indepth information about hydronic systems for residential and commercial buildings.

This report requires all elements of rooftop PV panel systems to be designed for component and cladding pressures per ASCE 7-10.

Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

Conference paper making the case that moving ducts to conditioned space saves energy, is practical for production builders (when accompanied by careful pre-planning), and creates significant andmarketable energy savings for homebuyers.

Report discussing development of scopes of work and quality management for builders in mixed-humid climates.

This Photovoltaic (PV) Installer Resource Guide is an informational resource covering basic requirements for PV installations intended for individuals pursuing the Photovoltaic Installer Certification credential offered by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).

Resources describing the National Flood Insurance Program's technical bulletins for flood zone construction, including foundation walls, corrosion protection, floodproofing, and breakaway walls among other topics.

Database compiling extended capacity data for numerous cold climate heat pump manufacturers and models.

Report discussing the benefits of modern evaporative cooling systems for use in hot dry climate zones.

Webpage presenting updated maps for annual average temperature and precipitation in the contiguous U.S.

An interactive website providing facts on new, single-family homes constructed in 2019.

An NFPA Standard that identifies a method for determining the minimum water supply necessary for structural fire-fighting purposes in areas where it has been determined that there is no water or inadequate water for fire fighting.

An NFPA standards document that provides minimum requirements for the design, construction, installation, and maintenance of tanks and accessory equipment that supply water for private fire protection.

This standard provides a benchmark for safe electrical design, installation, and inspection to protect people and property from electrical hazards and has been adopted in all 50 states.

Report about an experimental evaluation has been conducted on a night sky cooling system designed to substantially reduce space cooling needs in homes in North American climates.

Report describing the experimentally evaluated potential of a novel residential night cooling concept.

A document providing guidance on integrating a PV array with a roof system.

Document on the development of two simple in-home efficiency test methods that can be used by technicians, researchers, or interested homeowners to verify the correct operation and energy efficiency of a homes air conditioning and heating equipment.

Report providing guidance on protecting foundation walls and enclosures from flood damage.

Article from Williams College on the key elements of passive solar design for homes.