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Library

This library contains research reports produced by the Building America program and other building science resources used to support this Solution Center. The materials cover both new construction and existing homes. Use the search box and/or the filters to explore hundreds of residential building resources. Access to some references not produced by Building America may require purchase from the publisher. Documents are listed alphabetically. While we continually update our database, links may have changed since posting. Please contact our webmaster if you find broken links.

Showing results 51 - 82 of 82

HUD 2024 Housing Innovation Showcase Poster: Why Heat Pumps?

Author(s)
Edward Louie,
Theresa Gilbride
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Publication Date
Factsheet outlining the advantages of using heat pumps, which are an efficient way to heat and cool a home.

HVAC – Cold Climate Heat Pump Sizing

Author(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
PNNL,
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage providing curriculum with links to presentations and problem sets for teaching an understanding of sizing cold climate heat pumps.

HVAC in Multifamily Buildings

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Paper providing a comprehensive overview of HVAC system design considerations and challenges specific to multifamily residential buildings, focusing on optimizing performance and addressing common issues.

HVAC System Pressure Relief

Author(s)
Raymer Paul H,
Moyer Neil
Organization(s)
Tamarack Technologies,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Correcting pressure imbalances in your HVAC system can result in a healthier, more efficient home.

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

Author(s)
Widder Sarah H,
Metzger Cheryn E,
McIntosh Joshua A,
Petersen Joseph M
Organization(s)
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
NEEA,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
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.

Keeping Warm during Winter Power Outages

Author(s)
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences & Family and Consumer Sciences
Organization(s)
University of Georgia
Publication Date
Webpage describing how to conserve heat or find alternative heat sources during a power outage to keep one room warm.

Load Calculation Tools for Ductless Heat Pumps

Author(s)
BetterBuilt Northwest,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Organization(s)
BetterBuiltNW,
NEEA
Publication Date
Web article describing two options for sizing ductless minisplit heat pumps, including a free HVAC sizing tool.

Measure Guideline: Buried and/or Encapsulated Ducts

Author(s)
Mantha Pallavi,
Zoeller William,
Shapiro Carl
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Project discussing buried or encapsulated ducts and their pros and cons.

Measure Guideline: Combined Space and Water Heating Installation and Optimization

Author(s)
Bohac Dave,
Schoenbauer Ben,
Huelman Patrick H
Organization(s)
NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership,
NorthernSTAR,
University of Minnesota,
UMN
Publication Date
Report describing the installation and operation of forced-air heating and domestic hot water combi systems in residential homes.

Mini-Split Heat Pumps Multifamily Retrofit Feasibility Study

Author(s)
Dentz Jordan,
Henderson Hugh,
Podorson David
Organization(s)
Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions,
ARIES,
Levy Partnership,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
This report investigates whether mini-split heat pumps can live up to their potential for one market segment: multifamily retrofits.

NEEP’s Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pump List

Author(s)
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships
Organization(s)
NEEP
Publication Date
Database compiling extended capacity data for numerous cold climate heat pump manufacturers and models.

Oilheat America: Burners

Author(s)
Oilheat America
Organization(s)
Oilheat America
Publication Date
A website providing information on the purpose of burners and the components used in burners.

Passive Design

Author(s)
Green Home Technology Center
Organization(s)
Ohio State University Extension,
OSU
Publication Date
Website providing guidance on passive heating, cooling, and lighting methods.

Passive Solar Design

Author(s)
Williams College
Organization(s)
Williams College
Publication Date
Article from Williams College on the key elements of passive solar design for homes.

Performance of Combination Hydronic Systems

Author(s)
Butcher Thomas
Organization(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
ASHRAE
Publication Date
Article investigating how a linear input/output relationship can be used as a simple model of the performance of a combination hydronic heating system over heating only, DHW only, and combined loads.

Plant for the Sun!

Author(s)
Forestry and Natural Resources
Organization(s)
Purdue University
Publication Date
Blog article describing considerations for how to use trees for shading to reduce cooling energy demand.

Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
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.

Residential Ground Source Heat Pump Systems Utilizing Foundation Heat Exchangers

Author(s)
Spitler Jeffrey D,
Xing Lu,
Cullin James R,
Fisher Daniel E,
Shonder John,
Im Piljae
Organization(s)
Oklahoma State University,
OSU,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL
Publication Date
Paper covering a parametric study of foundation heat exchanger-based ground source heat pump systems for several house configurations in a range of European locations, with an emphasis on determining feasible combinations.

Suitability of foundation heat exchangers for ground source heat pump systems in European climates

Author(s)
Cullin James R,
Spitler Jeffrey D,
Gehlin Signhild E A
Organization(s)
Federation of European Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations,
REHVA,
Oklahoma State University,
OSU,
Swedish Centre for Shallow Geothermal Energy
Publication Date
A research paper discussing the use of foundation heat exchangers for ground source heat pump systems in European climates.

Technician’s Guide & Work Book For Quality Installation

Author(s)
Air Conditioning Contractors of America
Organization(s)
ACCA
Publication Date
The Technician's Guide equips practitioners with the knowledge to properly implement all of the measurement procedures required in the HVAC QI Specification.

Testing the Performance and Dynamic Control of Energy-Efficient Cellular Shades in the PNNL Lab Homes

Author(s)
Cort Katherine A,
McIntosh Joshua A,
Sullivan Greg P,
Ashley Travis A,
Metzger Cheryn E,
Fernandez Nicholas
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Efficiency Solutions
Publication Date
DOE-sponsored report describing the experimental design and results of testing the energy performance of Hunter Douglas double-cell cellular shades under various control schemes in the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Lab Homes.

The HPWH Handbook: Optimum Installation Practices and Answers to Lingering Research Questions

Author(s)
Widder Sarah H,
Larson Ben
Organization(s)
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy,
ACEEE,
Cadeo Group LLC,
Ecotope Inc.
Publication Date
Conference paper summarizing the relative performance of currently available Heat Pump Water Heaters (HPWH) models, the energy implications of different installation locations (garage, basement, or conditioned space) and ducting configurations (exhaust ducting, full ducting, or no ducting), as well...

Thermostat Controls

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Guide from Energy Star on smart thermostats and offering some guidance for choosing one.

Thermostatic Radiator Valve (TRV) Demonstration Project

Author(s)
McNamara Michael
Organization(s)
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority,
NYSERDA
Publication Date
This report describes the results of a multiyear research project that investigated the energy savings attributable to thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) installed on one-pipe steam distribution systems.

Understanding HPWH Interaction with Space Conditioning Systems in the Field

Author(s)
Larson Ben
Organization(s)
Ecotope,
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy,
ACEEE
Publication Date
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.

Window Attachments: Call to Action

Author(s)
Attachments Energy Rating Council
Organization(s)
AERC
Publication Date
Fact sheet providing information on window attachments and their potential for improving energy efficiency.