Library

A supplement to the 2012 Florida Building Code on energy efficiency and conservation.

Web page describing essential guidelines and recommendations for optimal installation of ductless heat pumps in cold climates, ensuring maximum heating performance and long-term satisfaction for homeowners, supported by research-backed insights and detailed resources.

Standard outlining industry procedure for sizing residential duct systems.

Standard providing guidance on how to select, size, and locate the supply air diffusers, grilles and registers, and the return grilles.

Technical manual from ACCA outlining correct methods for zoning of residential HVAC systems.

Fact sheet describing best strategies to bring ductwork on single-story homes with a slab-on-grade foundation in hot, dry climates into the conditioned envelope of the home intending to highlight the pros and cons of multiple ductwork integration strategies, including traditional duct systems in...

Standard for use and reference by designers, architects, engineers, contractors, installers and users for evaluating, selecting, specifying and properly installing flexible duct in heating and air conditioning systems.

Study from Appalachian State University on passive solar design to take advantage of local climate zones for energy conservation.

Fact sheet describing air-sealing concerns and remedies, including HRV/ERV installation, caulking, spray foam, and weatherstrip installation.

Standard covering updates to the expected leakage rates for ductwork constructed to the SMACNA HVAC Duct Construction Standards—Metal & Flexible, duct leakage test procedures; includes recommendations on use of leakage testing, types of test apparatus, and test setup and sample leakage analysis.

Power Point PDF presentation on historical architecture in New Mexico

Standard establishing test methods for determining air leakage in duct systems using fan pressurization in low-rise residential and commercial buildings.

Fact sheet providing background and technical information on Trombe wall design

Webpage explaining how to site and orient a house to take advantage of the solar path.

Training manual on how to locate ducts within conditioned space and compact design.

Online tool for thermal comfort calculations and visualizations SoftwareX 12, 100563 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2020.100563

Manual showing duct cleaning contractors how to identify the different types of insulated air ducts, how to open each type for access by cleaning equipment and personnel, how to close and seal openings after cleaning.

Climate Consultant is a software tool for helping architects, builders, contractor, homeowners, and students to understand their local climate.

This study focuses on the design, construction, and performance of the interior chase approach as implemented by five different builders in Texas, North Carolina, and Florida.

Website for the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon competition.

Information sheet with HVAC duct insulation, testing, maintenance and performance information.

Study testing the effect of fan cooling on healthy adults at increased ambient temperatures.

Brochure providing information on the design of the EPA Region 8 headquarters in Denver, CO.

Technical report describing the impact of orientation on thermal comfort.

Information sheet providing detail about hand fabrication of a one-piece straight duct from a 48" x 120" x 1" thick (1.22 m x 3.05 m x 25 mm) sheet where the total inside duct dimensions equals 112" (2.84 m) or less.

Standard providing a comprehensive approach to evaluating, selecting, specifying and installing flexible duct in HVAC systems.

Presentation about proper installation of flexible ducts.

Article from Washington Post on passive cooling measures for homes during extreme heat.

Article from The Earthbound Report on passive cooling design strategies for homes located in hot climates.

Standards criteria supporting ICC HVAC duct support standards.

Study evaluating opportunities for reducing cooling energy use in a hot dry climate through the use of shading and window options.

Report showing installers how to attach ducts, pipes, and associated equipment to buildings to minimize earthquake damage.

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.

Book detailing passive cooling methods including airflow methods, evaporative cooling, and earth cooling.

Factsheet describing how to test the duct leakage of a manufactured home in the manufactured home factory.

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...

Report detailing a three-winter study on unvented roof assemblies in a cold climate, assessing insulation material, ridge diffusion vent presence, vapor control membranes, relative humidity, and interstitial airflow. Results indicate that utilizing air-permeable fibrous fill insulations in unvented...

Report detailing a three-winter study on unvented roof assemblies in a cold climate, assessing insulation material, ridge diffusion vent presence, vapor control membranes, relative humidity, and interstitial airflow; results indicate that utilizing air-permeable fibrous fill insulations in unvented...

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.

This report is designed to meet ASHRAE 62.2-2010/2013 and ANSI/ACCA’s 5 QI-2015 protocol, thereby improving the performance of HVAC equipment in new homes when compared to homes built to minimum code.

Guide providing information on controlling attic ductwork sweating.

Fact sheet describing a novel, simplified air delivery system using a plug-and-play model that features 3-inch diameter flexible ducts, efficient fittings, and a simplified installation process that resulted in successful market engagement through commercialization.

Article from Smarter Homes NZ on home building techniques that incorporate passive cooling.

Book describing passive cooling techniques from a technical and academic perspective.

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

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

Report providing information on performance of mortars and concrete containing PCMs.

City of Plymouth webpage providing information on the Plymouth Community Center Project.

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