Library

Case study describing foundation wall moisture studies at a research facility in Minnesota run by Building America team NorthernSTAR.

Report providing an introduction to the NEHRP recommended seismic provisions for new buildings and other structures.

Free online tool for sizing central heat pump water heater systems.

Technical report evaluating the effects of heat pump water heaters on heating and cooling energy usage in laboratory homes.

Report demonstrating how the initiative achieves Building America (BA) goals of 30%-50% energy savings in multifamily dwellings in the hot-humid climate zone.

Website with consumer information about residential heat pump systems.

Online reference containing general information about geothermal heat pumps.

Report investigating performance and energy savings potential of heat pump water heaters.

Research study describing experiments run in an unoccupied 1600 square foot house to evaluate the delivered performance as well as the relative performance of a SEER 21 variable capacity heat pump versus a SEER 13 heat pump.

Searchable list of heat pumps that meet ENERGY STAR criteria.

Webpage recognizing the most efficient products among those that are ENERGY STAR certified.

Program criteria for central air conditioner and heat pump equipment.

Informational guide describing the benefits, functionality, and cost savings of ENERGY STAR® certified heat pump water heaters, addressing common misconceptions and highlighting incentives.

Factsheet describing mini split heat pumps and their benefits for consumers.

Information sheet with details on a building enclosure designed for Albuquerque, NM, as an example for building enclosures built for hot-dry and mixed-dry climates.

This report evaluates the performance of variable-capacity comfort systems, with a focus on inverter-driven, variable-capacity systems, as well as proposed system enhancements.

Technical report presenting the results of an evaluation of homes using high-efficiency mini-split heat pumps to supplement the primary heating and cooling systems.

Report describing the performance, cost, and carbon impacts of unitary heat pump water heaters with load-shifting controls in a shared configuration for a multi-family project, highlighting significant savings in energy usage, CO2 emissions, and utility costs.

Article describing a study of the potential to use heat pumps to heat and cool homes across the United States, including cold climate locations like Alaska.

Case study describing novel technique for installing exterior spray foam on foundation walls that uses high-pressure water sprayer and a “hydro vac” to remove dirt along the foundation wall.

Study characterizing how foundation heat exchangers (FHXs) used in residential ground source heat pump systems represent a potential cost savings due to their lesser first cost over other types of heat exchangers.

Documents describing the similarities and differences between the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) minimum requirements and the requirements of the International Codes® (I-Codes®) and ASCE 24, Flood Resistant Design and Construction, a standard referenced by the I-Codes., and illustrating...

Fact sheet discussing designs for prefabricated safe rooms built to ICC 500 standards mentioned in FEMA P-361.

Information sheet with an analysis of mini split heat pump systems.

Report describing the in situ performance evaluation of newly released heat pump water heaters (HPWHs), highlighting their energy and cost savings potential compared to conventional electric resistance water heaters and other alternatives, based on data collected from installations in Massachusetts...

Report on field monitoring of inverter-driven ASHPs in cold-climate homes.

Report describing dry floodproofing technologies for non-residential buildings, including information about regulatory requirements, design considerations, and descriptions of floodproofing methods and equipment.

Article describing the effective R-values of various subslab insulation products, including foil bubble pack.

Checklist highlighting the requirement for metal structural connections and materials fasteners used to retrofit or construct FORTIFIED buildings less than 3,000 ft from saltwater to be suitably protected from corrosion.

Checklist intending to clarify FORTIFIED Home™ eligibility requirements that relate to a home’s foundation.

Handbook providing guidance on the design and construction of foundations for homes, including insulation, air sealing, and water management details for basements, crawlspaces, and slabs.

Report describing a project aimed at developing validated models and design tools for foundation heat exchangers.

Article describing a numerical model that can be used to size foundation heat exchanger (FHX) systems.

Web article discussing the primary approaches to waterproofing concrete foundations.

Article describing what the building codes say about frost-protected shallow foundations as a cost-saving alternative to conventional concrete foundations.

Guides describing frost-protected shallow foundations as an alternative method for building an energy-efficient foundation for a house in a cold climate that uses less concrete and saves on labor.

Article describing frost-protected shallow foundations with construction drawing details.

Report investigating the status of the geothermal heat pump (GHP) industry and technology in the United States, assembling GHP energy savings potential, identifying key barriers to application of GHPs, and identifying actions that could accelerate adoption of GHPs.

Website with information about ENERGY STAR criteria for geothermal heat pumps.

Report describing the cost-effectiveness and performance of all-electric, zero net energy multifamily buildings in California, detailing technical challenges and providing recommendations for design, construction, codes, standards, and operations to support future projects.

Website article discussing the economics of ground source heat pumps.

Report presenting a cold climate project examining and alternative approach to ground source heat pump ground loop design.

Report describing the ground-source IHP (GS-IHP) design and includes the lessons learned and best practices revealed by the research and development (R&D) effort throughout.

Factsheet describing the uses and benefits of ground-source heat pumps for affordable housing, assisted living, dorms and hotels.

Factsheet describing how to install air source heat pumps for residential heating and cooling in cold climates.

Factsheet describing how to install air source heat pumps for residential heating and cooling in cold climates.

Guide by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships on how to size heat pumps in a cold climate.

A ENERGY STAR guide on efficient heating, ventilation and cooling systems in residential homes.

Report describing the various heat pump retrofit options for multifamily buildings in the U.S., segmented by building typology and heating system, to support better environmental, economic, and health outcomes.