Library

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

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.

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.

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

Report analyzing design heating load sizing methods for superinsulated homes in cold climates and comparing them to the actual energy usage to determine if the building load calculation methodology should be changed for calculating the design heating load of these homes.

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

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.

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.

Brochure providing information about flashing in all cimates.

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.

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

Report on a simplified test procedure for combustion safety that is easier to implement and should produce fewer false positives than the previous procedure.

Study describing efforts and outcomes in developing color-pigmented roofing products with coatings to increase solar reflectance.

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

DOE-sponsored report describing a study investigating condensation buildup on windows when using insulating shades.

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

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

Brochure on specifications for PV systems.

Information sheet about groundwater control.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Measure Guideline describing how to assess and carry out the isolation of natural draft combustion appliances from the conditioned spaces of low-rise residential buildings.

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

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.

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

This report investigates whether mini-split heat pumps can live up to their potential for one market segment: multifamily retrofits.

Fact sheet poster describing an online tool offered within the Building America Solution Center which provides construction guidance for builders and contractors in building and renovating homes to be more resistant to natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes and wildfires, etc.

Fact sheet describing analysis of potential heating and cooling savings from radiant barriers in attics.

Report covering the reconstruction of flood damaged homes.

Webpage describing a DOE Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge. The challenge engages industry partners and focuses around the Cold Climate Heat Pumps, a more environmental and efficient heating alternative to traditional heating.

DOE report characterizing the installed base of windows and window coverings, and how users operate window coverings in order to enable precise quantification of energy savings.

Report identifying the steps to take, with the help of a qualified home performance contractor, to seal unwanted air leaks while ensuring healthy levels of ventilation and avoiding sources of indoor air pollution.

Report covering non-combustible continuous exterior insulation and non-combustible roof venting.

Website describing how solar water heaters -- also called solar domestic hot water systems -- can be a cost-effective way to generate hot water for your home.

Presentation report detailing Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) interaction with space conditioning systems in real-life test scenarios that explains some of the problems arising from these interaction and information that can be used to make the system more efficient.

Document providing guidance on water management concepts and applications for residential buildings.

Report summarizing current research, summarizes issues that have been experienced with current best practices, and recommends ways in which the best practices can be improved for water managing sheathings.

Fact sheet describing how weatherstripping can be an easy and cost-effective way to save money on energy costs and improve comfort by reducing drafts.