Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 98 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.

Airtightness Results of Roof-Only Air Sealing Strategies on 1 1/2-Story Homes in Cold Climates

2014

Mosiman Garrett,

Ojczyk Cindy,

Murry T

University of Minnesota,

NothernSTAR

Research report describing study of interior and exterior air sealing techniques to stop ice dams in five 1.5-story retrofit homes conducted by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team run by University of Minnesota.

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.

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.

BSC Information - Vapor Open Assemblies for All Climates, Sheet 311

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Information sheet providing information about vapor management in building assemblies.

BSC Information - Vapor Permeance of Some Building Materials of Some Building Materials, Sheet 312

2013

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Information sheet providing details on the vapor permeance of different types of materials used in building assemblies.

Building a Durable and Energy Efficient Home in Post-Katrina New Orleans, BA-0704

2007

Baker Peter

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Research study about key sustainability concepts, durability, energy efficiency and new flood resistant design.

Building America Special Research Project - High R-Value Enclosures for High Performance Residential Buildings in All Climate Zones, BA-1005

2011

Straube John

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

This report will review, and summarize the current state of understanding and research into enclosures with higher thermal resistance, so-called “High-R Enclosures.” Recommendations are provided for further research.

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.

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.

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

Durable Interior Foundation Insulation Retrofits for Cold Climates, Cloquet Minnesota

2015

University of Minnesota

NorthernSTAR,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

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

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 Humidity Control Options in Hot-Humid Climate Homes

2011

Winkler Jon,

Christensen Dane,

Fang Xia

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Research study that utilizes EnergyPlus equipped with the moisture capacitance model to analyze the indoor relative humidity in three home types.

Evaluation of the Effective Moisture Penetration Depth Model for Estimating Moisture Buffering in Buildings

2013

Woods Jason,

Winkler Jon,

Christensen Dane

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Research study examining the effective moisture penetration depth (EMPD) model and its suitability for building simulations.

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.

Excavationless Exterior Foundation Insulation Exploratory Study

2013

Mosiman Garrett,

Wagner Terence L,

Schirber Tom

NorthernSTAR,

University of Minnesota,

U.S. Department of Labor,

DOE

Research study searching for combinations of existing technologies that could enable a minimally invasive, cost-competitive, easily deployable method of upgrading soil-side foundation insulation in existing buildings.

Excavationless: Exterior-Side Foundation Insulation for Existing Homes, Minneapolis, Minnesota

2014

University of Minnesota

UMN,

NorthernSTAR,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

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.

Expert Meeting Report: Interior Insulation Retrofit of Mass Masonry Wall Assemblies

2012

Ueno Kohta,

Van Straaten R

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Expert Meeting about interior insulation retrofit of mass masonry wall assemblies held on July 30, 2011.

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.

Flexible Residential Test Facility: Impact of Infiltration and Ventilation on Measured Cooling Season Energy and Moisture Levels

2014

Parker Danny S,

et al.

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Research report assessing the moisture and cooling load impacts of airtightness and mechanical ventilation in homes in hot-humid climates.

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.

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-R Walls for Remodeling: Wall Cavity Moisture Monitoring

2012

Wiehagen Joseph,

Kochkin Vladimir

NAHB Research Center,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Research study presenting results of an existing home monitoring project designed to measure wall cavity moisture characteristics.

Hygric Redistribution in Insulated Assemblies: Retrofitting Residential Envelopes Without Creating Moisture Issues

2013

Lstiburek Joseph W,

Smegal Jonathan

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report exploring four questions to determine the level of risk associated with adding drained exterior insulation to the exterior of an existing home during an energy retrofit.

IBACOS Builder System Performance Packages: January 2003--December 2003

2004

Broniek John

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report presenting system design packages for cold and mixed-humid climates.

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.

Interior Water Management, Info-306

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Article discussing indoor water management.

Laboratory Evaluation of Energy Recovery Ventilators

2016

Kosar Douglas

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

Gas Technology Institute,

GTI Energy,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report targeting the growing number of homes utilizing deep retrofit measures and new construction practices to realize sufficiently lower infiltration levels that require mechanical ventilation as prescribed by ASHRAE Standard 62.2.

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.

Laboratory Test Report for Six ENERGY STAR Dehumidifiers

2011

Winkler Jon,

Christensen Dane,

Tomerlin Jeff

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report documenting the measured performance of six residential ENERGY STAR vapor compression dehumidifiers.

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.