Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 86 results:

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.

A Realistic Hot Water Draw Specification for Rating Solar Water Heaters

2012

Burch Jay,

Thornton Jeff

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Thermal Energy System Specialists,

TESS

Document outlining the current and the proposed draws and estimates typical ratings changes from draw specification changes for typical systems in four cities.

Advanced Water Heating Specification

2022

Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

NEEA

Specifications for water heating systems designed to advance higher performing electric and gas heat pump water heaters.

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.

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.

Assessing the Energy Savings of Tankless Water Heater Retrofits in Public Housing

2013

Dwiantoro Deny,

Walters R,

Ries R

Building Energy Efficient Homes for America,

BEEHA,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing methodology, analysis, and findings from a case study of a 110-unit retrofit of gas tankless water heaters in a hot/humid climate in Alachua County, Florida.

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.

Best Practices Solar Case Study: John Wesley Miller Companies, Armory Park del Sol Tucson Arizona

2009

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Case study describing solar thermal and photovoltaic systems in new construction.

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.

Builders Challenge Guide to 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Hot-Dry and Mixed-Dry Climates Solar Case Study Grupe: Carsten Crossings, Rocklin California

2009

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Case study describing solar thermal and photovoltaic systems in new construction.

Building America Best Practices Series: Solar Case Study: Pulte Homes, Civano Tucson AZ

2007

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Case study describing solar thermal and photovoltaic systems in new construction.

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.

Combined Space and Water Heating: Next Steps to Improved Performance

2016

Bohac Dave,

Schoenbauer Ben,

Huelman Patrick H

University of Minnesota,

UMN,

NothernSTAR,

NSTAR,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing combined space- and water-heating (combi) systems using a high-efficiency direct-vent burner.

Comparison of Advanced Residential Water Heating Technologies in the United States

2013

Fang Xia,

Maguire Jeff,

Wilson Eric

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Research report providing a comparison of the most common residential water heating technologies to determine energy-efficient and cost-effective water heating technologies are when subjected to a variety of typical operating conditions.

Condensing Hybrid Water Heater Monitoring Field Evaluation

2011

Maguire Jeff,

et al.

Mountain Energy Partnership,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report about a hybrid condensing water heater (thermal efficiency = 0.973, energy factor = 0.95) installed in an occupied home in Sacramento, California, and monitored for one year to determine the actual in situ efficiency.

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, Design, and Performance of Solar Hot Water in Cold-Climate Homes

2006

Aldrich Robb,

Vijayakumar Gayathri

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Report describing the monitored long-term performance of two solar domestic water heating systems in northern climates.

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.

Expert Meeting Report: Exploring the Disconnect Between Rated and Field Performance of Water Heating Systems

2013

Hoeschele Marc,

Weitzel Elizabeth

Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,

ARBI,

Davis Energy Group,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

The main objective of this expert meeting was to bring together a group of experts intimately involved with issues related to assessing the performance of residential high efficiency water heating systems.

Expert Meeting Report: Recommendations for Applying Water Heaters in Combination Space and Domestic Water Heating Systems

2012

Rudd Armin,

et al.

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Expert meeting describing meeting details for recommendations for applying water heaters in combination space and domestic water heating systems.

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 Solar Thermal Specification

2009

Aldrich Robb

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Brochure on specifications for solar thermal 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.

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 Builder Spotlight: NextGen Home, Las Vegas, Nevada

2009

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Case study of new home construction in the hot-dry and mixed-dry climate zones.

High-Performance Home Technologies: Solar Thermal & Photovoltaic Systems, Volume 6 Building America Best Practices Series

2007

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

Best Practices document providing an introduction to current photovoltaic and solar thermal building practices.

Hot Water Distribution System Model Enhancements

2012

Hoeschele Marc,

Weitzel Elizabeth

Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,

ARBI,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Davis Energy Group

Report on a project that enhanced the HWSIM distribution system model to more accurately model pipe heat transfer.

Impact of Pilot Light Modeling on the Predicted Annual Performance of Residential Gas Water Heaters

2013

Maguire Jeff,

Burch Jay

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Journal article presenting modeling of residential gas water heaters via dynamic simulation models to determine the effect of the pilot light on their annual energy consumption.

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.

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 Evaluation of Gas-Fired Tankless and Storage Water Heater Approaches to Combination Water and Space Heating

2013

Kingston T,

Scott S

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

Gas Technology Institute,

GTI Energy

Report summarizing results of testing emerging combo water heating technologies under controlled laboratory operations, that differentiate the performance of the various packaged equipment configurations being offered.

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.

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: Combination Forced-Air Space and Tankless Domestic Hot Water Heating Systems

2012

Rudd Armin

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Document pertaining to design and application guidance for combination space and tankless domestic hot water heating systems used in residential buildings, based on field evaluation, testing, and industry meetings.

Measure Guideline: Combined Space and Water Heating Installation and Optimization

2017

Bohac Dave,

Schoenbauer Ben,

Huelman Patrick H

NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership,

NorthernSTAR,

University of Minnesota,

UMN

Report describing the installation and operation of forced-air heating and domestic hot water combi systems in residential homes.

Measure Guideline: Heat Pump Water Heaters in New and Existing Homes

2012

Shapiro Carl,

Puttagunta Srikanth,

Owens Douglas

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Document with evaluation of 14 heat pump water heaters (including three recently released HPWH products) installed in existing homes in the northeast region of the United States.