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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 163 results:

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2024

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
·
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA
Description
Webpage on the ENERGY STAR website that list products that exceed the ENERGY STAR minimum criteria for their category, with links to several product categories, including windows, HVAC, home appliances, and computer monitors.

ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction Program Requirements

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
·
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA
Description
Website showing compliance timelines for various versions of the ENERGY STAR Multi-Family New Construciton program requirements with links to national program requirements documents and checklists.

ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction, OR-WA Program Requirements

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
·
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Description
Webpage with links to documents providing the program requirements and checklists for ENERGY STAR Certified Multifamily Homes, national and regional program requirements.

ENERGY STAR Single-Family New Homes

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
·
Organization(s)
EPA
Description
Webpage with links to documents providing the program requirements and checklists for ENERGY STAR Certified Single-Family New Homes.

Evaluation of Retrofit Variable-Speed Furnace Fan Motors

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Aldrich Robb,
Williamson Jim
·
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Description
Report detailing the effects of replacing PSC motors with more efficient, variable-speed motors.

Fans for Cooling

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
·
Organization(s)
DOE
Description
DOE webpage that gives and overview of fans for cooling.

FEMA Earthquake Risk

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
·
Organization(s)
FEMA
Description
Website providing links to scalable guidance and tools about the importance of earthquake mitiation to the private sector, its owners, managers, and employees.

FEMA Flood Insurance

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
·
Organization(s)
FEMA
Description
Website describing the national flood insurance program and how to purchase flood insurance.

FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Program

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
·
Organization(s)
FEMA
Description
A website providing information on funding for mitigation programs to reduce disaster losses under FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Field Assessment of Energy Audit Tools for Retrofit Programs

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Bohac Dave,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
NorthernSTAR,
University of Minnesota,
UMN
Description
Report describing a project focused on the use of home energy ratings as a tool to promote energy retrofits in existing homes.

FORTIFIED Home Getting FORTIFIED Certified

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
·
Organization(s)
IBHS
Description
Webpage providing access to the training for building professionals to earn certification as FORTIFIED™ Home Evaluators and FORTIFIED-Wise credentials.

Geothermal Heat Pumps Key Product Criteria

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
·
Organization(s)
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Description
Website with information about ENERGY STAR criteria for geothermal heat pumps.

Gossamer Wind Ceiling Fans

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
University of Central Florida
·
Organization(s)
FSEC,
UCF
Description
Website providing information about the Gossamer Wind Series Ceiling fans, conceived by Danny Parker at the Florida Solar Energy Center as a means of realizing the energy efficiency and comfort potential of ceiling fans.

Greenbelt Homes Pilot Energy Efficiency Programs Phase 1 Summary: Existing Conditions and Baseline Energy Use

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Wiehagen Joseph,
Del Bianco Marie,
Wood Amber
·
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
Home Innovation Research Labs,
HIRL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Description
Report detailing field walk-through evaluations, energy simulations for projected savings with exterior insulation upgrades, building envelope energy improvement cost estimates, and installation and maintenance of monitoring equipment and data.

Home Ventilating Institute

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Home Ventilating Institute
·
Organization(s)
Home Ventilating Institute
Description
Website providing certified rating programs to help manufacturers, builders, contractors and homeowners compare performance of ventilation products for air flow, sound, and other performance characteristics.

Housing Stock Characterization Study: An Innovative Approach to Measuring Retrofit Impact

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Kipp Jennison M,
Taylor Nicholas W,
Jones Pierce H
·
Organization(s)
Building Energy Efficient Housing for America,
BEEHA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Description
Report detailing an evaluation of Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) residential energy efficiency demand side management (DSM) programs to assess their impacts and relative measures of energy and economic performance.

How Much Ventilation Do I Need?

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Home Ventilating Institute
·
Organization(s)
Home Ventilating Institute
Description
Website with articles on home ventilation and indoor air quality.

How to Design a Home for a Cold Climate

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Diez Roy
·
Organization(s)
New Home Source
Description
Article summarizing for potential homeowners items to check or demand from the builder in designing a home for a cold climate.

HVI Airflow Test Procedure

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Home Ventilating Institute
·
Organization(s)
HVI
Description
Publication specifying HVI’s prescriptive procedures for testing and rating airflow of residential ventilation products in accordance with ANSI consensus standards.

HVI Certification Program Policies and Procedures

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Home Ventilating Institute
·
Organization(s)
HVI
Description
Publication describing the requirements and procedures for the certified performance ratings program for residential ventilation products administered by the Home Ventilating Institute.

HVI Certified Products Directory

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Home Ventilating Institute
·
Organization(s)
HVI
Description
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.

Impact of Residential Mechanical Ventilation on Energy Cost and Humidity Control

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Martin Eric
·
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS
Description
The study described in this white paper is based on building energy modeling with an important focus on the indoor humidity impacts of ventilation.

Implementing a Zero Energy Ready Home Multifamily Project

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Springer David,
German Alea
·
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
Davis Energy Group
Description
Report on on lessons learned from building one multifamily home to the Zero Energy Ready Home program requirements.

Indoor Air Pollution from Cooking

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
California Air Resources Board,
California Environmental Protection Agency
·
Organization(s)
CARB,
CalEPA
Description
Article describing ways home owners can improve ventilation in their kitchens.

Learn About Brightness

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
·
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Description
A website explaining the measurement of light bulbs, measurable in lumens, & brightness levels that ENERGY STAR products produce.

Learn About LED Lighting

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
·
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Description
A website explaining the basics of LED lightning, their lifespan, their use in general lighting applications, the amount of heat produced, and why you should choose ENERGY STAR certified LED products for your home.

LED Bulbs Made Easy

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
·
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Description
A fact sheet providing information on ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs & how to find the right one to fit your lighting fixture.

LEED v4.1 Certification Program

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S Green Building Council
·
Organization(s)
USGBC
Description
Website explaining the LEED v4.1 program and providing a portal for those who want to investigate or start a LEED project.

Light Bulb Key Product Criteria

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
·
Organization(s)
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Description
ENERGY STAR lightbulb criteria.

Light Bulbs

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
·
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Description
A website explaining why homeowners should install ENERGY STAR certified lightbulbs, which helps to save homeowners on utility bills and protect the environment.

Measure Guideline: Ventilation Cooling

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Springer David,
Dakin Bill,
German Alea
·
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Davis Energy Group,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Description
Guide describing proper application, design, and installation of mechanical ventilation cooling systems for homes located in hot-dry and cold-dry climates, as well as a means of understanding the benefits, costs, and tradeoffs of these systems.

Minnesota Power New Construction Energy Efficiency Program

Publication Date
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Author(s)
Minnesota Power
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Organization(s)
Minnesota Power
Description
Website describing Minnesota Power’s New Construction Energy Efficiency program that promotes building practices and technologies that enhance new residential construction.

National Fenestration Rating Council Certified Products Directory

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Fenestration Rating Council
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Organization(s)
NFRC
Description
Database from the National Fenestration Rating Council providing a directory of NFRC-certified window products searchable by manufacturer, product type, CPD number, or various NFRC label specifications.

National Green Building Standard Analysis

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Association of Home Builders Research Center,
U.S. Department of Energy
·
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
DOE
Description
Report detailing the proposed point structure for the prescriptive approach of the energy efficiency chapter of the NGBS update.

Night Ventilation Cooling Compliance Option

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
California Statewide Utility Codes and Standards Program
·
Organization(s)
California Public Utilities Commission,
CPUC
Description
Document describing recommended modeling rules, potential compliance credits, and eligibility criteria for residential night ventilation cooling systems for California’s Title 24 energy efficiency standards.