Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 220 results:

2014 Florida Building Code - Energy Conservation, Fifth Edition

2014

International Code Council

ICC

Code describing energy codes for energy-conserving and compliant designs in Florida.

2017 Protecting Building Utility Systems From Flood Damage, FEMA P-348

2019

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Fact sheet providing an overview of FEMA P-348, Protecting Building Utility Systems From Flood Damage.

2020 Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, Seventh Edition

2020

International Code Council

ICC

2020 energy efficiency code for the state of Florida.

2020 Minnesota State Mechanical Code MN rule chapter 1346

2020

Rosival Chris

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry,

MNDLI

A presentation on the 2020 State Mechanical Code for easier understanding.

A Guide to Preserving Trees in Development Projects

2022

Elmendorf William,

Gerhold Henry,

Kuhns Larry

Pennsylvania State University Extension,

PennState Extension

Article describing tree health, environmental considerations, and details on how to preserve trees.

A Practical Guide to Climate-resilient Buildings & Communities

2021

United Nations Environment Programme

UNEP

Guidance document from the UN environment programme on climate-resilient buildings and communities practices, including guidance on heat waves, drought, hurricanes, and flooding.

A Practical Guide to Cool Roofs and Cool Pavements

2012

Global Cool Cities Alliance,

R20 Regions of Climate Action

GCCA,

R20

Guide developed to help contractors, building operators, and city officials successfully adopt cool roof and pavement technology.

AC Coupled for Blackout Protection? No Thanks

2021

Soltaro

Website article comparing DC and AC batteries and explaining that DC batteries have black start ability to restart from solar power while providing AC batteries need grid power to restart if fully discharged.

AC vs. DC Coupled Energy Storage Systems: What’s the Difference?

2020

YSG Solar

Website article describing pros and cons of DC and AC batteries and explaining that AC batteries are less expensive than DC batteries.

AC vs. DC Coupling Energy Storage Systems

2021

Miller Lucas

Mayfield Renewables

Website article describing the advantages and disadvantages of AC and DC battery energy storage systems and inverters for solar power systems.

ACEEE 2024 Summer Study on Energy-Efficiency in Buildings Factsheet: Window Coverings that Can Take the Heat

2024

Katherine Cort,

Theresa Gilbride

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Factsheet describing how window shades can keep out unwanted heat, detailing the most effective products and practices.

Advanced Power Strip Research Report

2011

Koser Kelly,

Uthe Carl

NYSERDA

Report investigating implemention of advanced power strips for entertainment and home office electronics would reduce energy consumption across the residential market.

Affordable Passive Solar Planbook for North Carolina

2005

Appalachian State University

AEC,

App State

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

All About Shade Trees

2022

Huber Jeanne

This Old House

Article describing shade trees and how to plant, maintain, and replace them.

An Experimental Analysis of the Impact of Tree Shade on Electricity Consumption

2009

Laband David N,

Sophocleus John P

International Society of Arboriculture

Paper describing an experiment to quantify shade tree impacts on cooling-related electricity consumption, finding that there may be sizable benefits in hot regions.

Analysis and Representation of Miscellaneous Electric Loads in NEMS

2021

Energy Information Administration

EIA

Report with updated energy consumption data for 28 residential & commercial miscellaneous electric loads (MELs), including projections to 2040.

APA The Engineered Wood Association Homepage

2020

APA - The Engineered Wood Association

American Plywood Association,

APA

Website homepage of APA – The Engineered Wood Association, a nonprofit trade association combining the research efforts of scientists and engineers, APA promotes new solutions and improved processes that benefit the entire industry.

Architecture of New Mexico

2022

Albuquerque Museum

City of Albuquerque,

CABQ

Power Point PDF presentation on historical architecture in New Mexico

Assessing the Business Case for Hosting Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in New York State

2019

Nigro Nick,

et al.

Atlas Public Policy,

NYSERDA,

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

Report describing the business case of hosting a Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging station in New York, including analysis of real-world data on equipment use, costs, revenue, and assumptions derived from industry reports and original research.

Attic Venting, Attic Moisture, and Ice Dams

1999

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

CMHC,

Government of Canada

Article by the Canadian Government on attic ventilation and considerations for moisture and ice dams.

Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Comparison

2021

Clean Energy Reviews

CER

Website providing comparison charts and reviews of battery energy storage systems for solar power systems.

Bay Area Seismic Retrofit

2020

Bay Area Retrofit

YouTube channel featuring 90+ videos to educate Bay Area homeowners and contractors about seismic retrofitting, including information for various home and construction types.

Be Prepared For Extreme Heat, FEMA V-1004

2018

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Information sheet from FEMA on preparation for extreme heat, including measures for keeping homes cool.

Benefits of Trees

2022

Arbor Day Foundation

Article describing the benefits trees provide through quotes and anecdotes.

Bidirectional Charging and Electric Vehicles for Mobile Storage

2025

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMP

Article describing bidirectinoal charging and energy storage methods using electric vehicles.

Builder's Guide to Hot-Humid Climates

2005

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

The Builder's Guide provides the building industry with the latest and best practical information on how to apply building science principles to structures as systems in hot-humid climate regions.

Building Orientation for Optimum Energy

2022

Gromicko Nick,

Gromicko Ben

InterACHI

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

Building Thermal Performance, Extreme Heat, and Climate Change

2017

Nahlik Matthew J.,

et al.

American Society of Civil Engineers,

ASCE

Article published by American Society of Civil Engineers on different building types and their effectiveness resisting extreme heat from a building envelope perspective.

CBE Thermal Comfort Tool

2020

Tartarini Federico,

et al.

Center for the Built Environment,

CBE,

UC Berkeley,

SinBerBEST,

Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore,

BEARS

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

CFL Glossary

2021

ENERGY STAR

A website describing a list of common vocabulary used when describing light bulbs.

Choose A Light Guide

2021

ENERGY STAR

A simple three-step guide for homeowners who are looking to replace existing light bulbs with more energy-efficient, higher-performing bulbs.

Climate Change Indicators in the United States

2024

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Website providing data indicating climate change.

Climate Consultant

2021

Milne Murray

Society of Building Science Educators,

SBSE,

University of California Los Angeles,

UCLA

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

Climate Safe Housing - Strategies for Multifamily Building Resilience

2023

Enterprise Community Partners

ECP

Webpage providing information on how window shading can reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.

Climate Science Special Report 4th National Climate Assessment Vol 1

2017

U.S. Global Change Research Program

USGCRP,

Climate Science Special Report,

CSSR

Report assessing the science of climate change with a focus on the U.S.

Color and Mood

2024

ENERGY STAR

A website explaining the various shades of light, from warm to cool colors, with a visual diagram illustrating the various shades of light.

Comparative Evaluation of the Impact of Roofing Systems on Residential Cooling Energy Demand in Florida

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Study investigating measured cooling energy performance in side-by-side identical homes with varying roof types, including cool roof technologies.

Construction & Design Considerations in Warmer Climates

2022

Zero Energy Project

Guidance from Zero Energy Project on construction techniques for warmer climates, such as home orientation, and insulation requirements.

Cool Colored Materials for Roofs

2004

Akbari Hashem,

et al.

California Energy Commission,

CEC,

Public Interest Energy Research Program,

PIER,

Laboratory Directed Research and Development,

LDRD,

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Study describing efforts and outcomes in developing color-pigmented roofing products with coatings to increase solar reflectance.

Cool Neighborhoods: The Measurement of Small Scale Heat Islands

2000

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Vieira Robin K

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy,

ECEEE

Paper describing the effects of tree canopies on residential climates indicating tree cover to be beneficial to climate conditions

Cool Roofs

2023

ENERGY STAR

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA,

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR webpage discussing the costs and benefits of cool roofs.

Cool Roofs

2022

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Webpage from U.S. Department of Energy describing 'cool roofs' and their usage for passive home cooling.

Cool Roofs Help Reduce Energy Costs

2023

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA

Web page providing information on the types of cool roofs and their benefits to consumers.

Cool Solutions: The Whole House Fan

2018

Mott-Smith John

City of Davis,

State of California

Article describing the use of whole-house fans to provide cooling in the region surrounding Sacramento, CA.

Cool Surfaces Savings Explorer

2018

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

LBNL

Tool developed by LBNL to calculate potential savings from increasing wall and roof solar reflectance.

Cooling Related Performance of Finished and Unfinished Metal Roofing Systems

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Study reporting the results of comparative testing of the effect of finished and unfinished metal roofing systems on cooling energy performance in a test facility.

Cooling with a Whole-House Fan

2022

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

DOE Energy Saver webpage summarizing the use of whole-house fans for cooling.

Cooling with Ventilation

1986

Chandra Subrato,

Houston Michael M,

Fairey Philip W

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Report providing recommendations to builders regarding how to reduce cooling loads, use air-circulation fans, natural ventilation, window and building design for natural ventilation, and whole-house fans.

Costs Associated With Non-Residential Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment

2015

U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. DOE

Report describing costs associated with non-residential electric vehicle charging, including multifamily properties.

CRRC - Cool Roof Rating Council

2023

Cool Roof Rating Council

CRRC

Website providing information about the Cool Roof Rating Council including programs, membership, and resources for the construction industry.