Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 79 results:

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Hot-Humid Climate, Volume 15

2011

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

A guidebook helping builders in hot-humid climates design and construct homes for energy efficiency, durability, health, safety, and comfort.

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Marine Climate, Volume 11

2010

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report providing builders in marine climates with guidance for building homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Mixed-Humid Climate, Volume 16

2011

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing measures that builders in mixed-humid climates can use to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

A Feasibility Study: Ductless Hydronic Distribution systems with Fan Coil Delivery

2012

Springer David,

Dakin Bill,

Backman Christine

Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,

ARBI,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Davis Energy Group

Research study estimating potential energy savings relative to conventional ducted air distribution, and identifying equipment requirements, costs, and barriers.

An In-Depth Look at Ground Source Heat Pumps and Other Electric Loads in Two GreenMax Homes

2012

Shapiro Carl,

Puttagunta Srikanth

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report about two test home evaluations that provided valuable data about the true in-field performance of various building mechanical systems and LAMELs.

Application of Spray Foam Insulation Under Plywood and Oriented Strand Board Roof Sheathing, BA-1312

2013

Grin Aaron,

Smegal Jonathan,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report covering moisture and leakage issues associated with spray foam insulation application to the underside of roof sheathing.

Approaching "Zero Energy" in the Pacific Northwest Marine Climate

2009

Fuess Chris,

Gordon Andrew,

Lubliner Michael

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

Report about a building project in the marine climate.

Attic or Roof? An Evaluation of Two Advanced Weatherization Packages, BA-1205

2012

Neuhauser Ken

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report about a project that examines implementation of advanced retrofit measures in the context of a large-scale weatherization program and the archetypal Chicago, Illinois, brick bungalow.

Bay Ridge Gardens - Mixed Humid Affordable Multifamily Housing Deep Energy Retrofit

2013

Lyons James,

Moore Mike,

Thompson Margo

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

Newport Ventures,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report summarizing commissioning, short-term testing, utility bill data analysis, and results of on-site monitoring of a deep energy retrofit.

Brick, Stucco, Housewrap and Building Paper, RR-0105

2001

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Research study discussing how housewraps restrict or permit the passage of water molecules based on size, but cannot control the direction in which the water vapor molecules move.

BSC Information - Common Flashing Details for All Climates, Sheet 303

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Brochure providing information about flashing in all cimates.

BSC Information - Supplemental Humidity Control for Hot-Humid Climates, Sheet 620

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Information sheet offering general recommendations on supplemental humidity control and outlines viable system configurations.

Building America Best Practices Series - 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Cold and Very Cold Climates, Volume 12

2011

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Guide describing measures that builders in the cold and very cold climates can take to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Building Science Education: Heat Pump Water Heater Training Module

2024

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Training module describing the operation, efficiency, consumer and seller benefits, and cost comparison of Heat Pump Water Heaters (HPWH) against conventional gas, oil, or electric water heaters.

Central Heat Pump Water Heater Design Guide

2023

Ecotope

Energy Trust of Oregon

Design guide providing solutions and tools for designing central heat pump water heater systems in multifamily and other commercial buildings.

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.

Cooling and Heating Season Impacts of Right-Sizing of Fixed- and Variable-Capacity Heat Pumps With Attic and Indoor Ductwork

2015

Cummings James B,

Withers Charles R,

Kono Jamie E

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE,

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC

Report on experiments comparing the cooling and heating seasonal and peak demand performance of different variable-capacity air conditioning and heat pump units.

Cost Effectiveness of Home Energy Retrofits in Pre-Code Vintage Homes in the United States

2012

Fairey Philip W,

Parker Danny S

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE,

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report describing the analytical study of renewable energy retrofits to homes built before 1980 and whether it is cost efficient or not.

Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump Comfort Evaluation

2013

Roth Kurt,

Sehgal N,

Akers Craig

Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems,

Fraunhofer CSE,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Research report with results from field tests in two homes in Austin, Texas, from October 2011 to June 2012 to evaluate the comfort performance of ductless mini-split heat pumps

Efficient Multifamily Homes in a Hot Humid Climate by Atlantic Housing Partners

2013

Chasar Dave,

Martin Eric

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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

Energy Savings and Breakeven Costs for Residential Heat Pump Water Heaters in the United States

2013

Maguire Jeff,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

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

Energy Savings and Peak Demand Reduction of a SEER 21 Heat Pump vs. a SEER 13 Heat Pump with Attic and Indoor Duct Systems

2014

Cummings James B,

Withers Charles R

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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.

Evaluating Moisture Control of Variable-Capacity Heat Pumps in Mechanically Ventilated, Low-Load Homes in Climate Zone 2A

2018

Martin Eric,

et al.

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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.

Evaluation of Unitary Heat Pump Water Heaters with Load-Shifting Controls in a Shared Multifamily Configuration

2022

Hoeschele Marc,

Haile James,

Grant Peter

Pacific Gas and Electric Company,

PG&E,

Energy Transition Coordinating Council,

ETCC

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.

Field Monitoring Protocol: Mini-Split Heat Pumps

2011

Christensen Dane,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Mountain Energy Partnership,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

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

Field Performance of Inverter-Driven Heat Pumps in Cold Climates

2015

Williamson Jim,

Aldrich Robb

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

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

General PV Specification

2009

Aldrich Robb

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Brochure on specifications for PV systems.

Ground Source Heat Pump Sub-Slab Heat Exchange Loop Performance in a Cold Climate

2013

Mittereder Nick,

Poerschke Andrew

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

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

Ground Source Integrated Heat Pump for Near Zero Energy Houses: Technology Status Report.

2024

Murphy Richard W,

et al.

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

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.

Groundwater Control, Info-101

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Information sheet about groundwater control.

Guide to Insulating Sheathing

2007

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Guide providing information on using exterior foam insulating sheathing in building wall assemblies to enhance thermal performance.

Heat Pump Retrofit Strategies for Multifamily Buildings

2019

Steven Winter Associates,

Natural Resources Defense Council

SWA,

NRDC

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.

Heat Pump Water Heater Guide - Best Practices and Technical Considerations for Single-Family New Construction

2024

ENERGY STAR,

U.S. Department of Energy,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

DOE,

EPA

Informational guide describing the design, installation, and maintenance best practices and technical considerations for integrated Heat Pump Water Heaters in single-family and multifamily new construction.

Heat Pump Water Heater Model Validation Study

2015

Ecotope,

Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

Ecotope,

NEEA

Report describing the significant potential for energy use reductions through heat pump water heaters, which have been a crucial part of Northwest power plans for decades and have recently achieved substantial savings with new integrated models and climate specifications.

Heat Pump Water Heating Modeling in EnergyPlus - Building America Residential Energy Efficiency Stakeholder Meeting

2012

Wilson Eric,

Christensen Craig B

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Presentation about heat pump water heater modeling using EnergyPlus.

High Performance Walls in Hot-Dry Climates

2015

Hoeschele Marc,

et al.

Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,

ARBI,

Davis Energy Group,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Article from NREL on wall construction guidelines for homes in hot climate zones.

High-Efficiency Window Air Conditioners

2013

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Factsheet profiling a simple modification that can be made to window air-conditioners to improve their energy efficiency.

Home Cooling Systems

2022

Energy Saver

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Website providing information on low-energy and standard cooling systems, with a focus on saving energy.

Improved Modeling of Residential Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps for Energy Calculations

2013

Cutler Dylan,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

University of Colorado,

Report presenting improved air conditioner (AC) and heat pump (HP) modeling methods in the context of whole-building simulation tools.

Improving Air-Conditioner and Heat Pump Modeling

2012

Winkler Jon

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Presentation on Improving Air-Conditioner and Heat Pump Modeling.

Installing Windows with Foam Sheathing on a Wood-Frame Wall

2005

Building Science Corporation,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

BSC,

NREL

Report with guidance for installing windows with foam sheathing on wood-frame walls.

Interaction between Heat Pump Water Heaters or Other Internal Point Source Loads and a Central Heating System

2017

Widder Sarah H,

et al.

Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,

NEEA,

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

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.

Laboratory Performance Evaluation of Residential Integrated Heat Pump Water Heaters

2011

Sparn Bethany,

Hudon Kate,

Christensen Dane

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

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

Laboratory Test Report for Fujitsu 12RLS and Mitsubishi FE12NA Mini-Split Heat Pumps

2011

Winkler Jon

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

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

Local Officials Guide for Coastal Construction, FEMA P-762

2009

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Guide describing sound mitigation measures to lower building natural disaster vulnerability to assist local officials and community decision makers in coastal areas.

Long-Term Monitoring of Mini-Split Ductless Heat Pumps in the Northeast

2015

Ueno Kohta,

Loomis Honorata

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report on the long-term performance of mini-split heat pumps.

Low-Cost Solar Water Heating Research and Development Roadmap

2012

Hudon Kate,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

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.

Measure Guideline: Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit (DEER) for Zero Energy House (ZERH) Flat Roofs

2015

Loomis Honorata,

Pettit Betsy

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

This Measure Guideline provides design and construction information for a deep energy enclosure retrofit solution of a flat roof assembly.

Measure Guideline: Guidance on Taped Insulating Sheathing Drainage Planes

2014

Grin Aaron,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Measure Guideline research report providing simple, long term, and durable solutions when using tapes and flashing membranes in conjunction with the exterior face of rigid polymeric foam sheathing to create the drainage plane of a wall system.

Measure Guideline: Guide to Attic Air Sealing

2014

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation

Guideline describing information and specifications relevant to air-seal existing attics.