Library

Training manual on how to locate ducts within conditioned space and compact design.

Guide informing builders and developers about efficient building practice for constructing homes with structural insulated panels.

Reference investigating the strategy of using buried and/or encapsulated ducts to reduce duct thermal losses in residential buildings.

Report describing a deep energy retrofit project for a two-family wood framed home located in Belmont, Massachusetts.

Webpage containing California Energy Commission's HVAC design information, including mandatory and prescriptive HVAC requirements for residential and nonresidential buildings following the California Energy Commission's Building Energy Efficiency Standards.

Article describing correct ways to eliminate water damage by incorporating a sacrificial layer to foundation walls and footings.

Website of the Cold Climate Housing Research Center.

AHRI-hosted directory of residential products meeting CEE's highest tier

Information sheet with information about insulating and ventilating attics.

Report describing ventilation system design, including a central fan integrated supply (CFIS) system, made up of a 6-inch outdoor air intake duct connected to the return side of the air handler with a fan cycling control to make sure the fan runs a programmed minimum amount of time.

Report about City of Meriden Housing Authority's (MHA) collaboration with Jonathon Rose Companies to complete a gut renovation of 126 residential units in the Chamberlain Heights retrofit project.

Case study characterizing the framing factors for the exterior walls, ceilings, and floors of 180 wood-framed low-rise residential buildings across the United States.

Report identifying housing characteristics and energy use for fifteen single-family housing types and specifies measure packages that provide an optimum level of energy savings based on a BEopt analysis.

Part 2 of an article discussing how to maximize two-pipe steam systems for resident space heating.

Report on the stability of furring strips as a means for cladding attachment over walls with thick exterior rigid insulation.

Article describing correct ways to attach rigid insulation to the exterior of commercial and residential buildings.

Report describing strategies to improve the aging steam heating systems in New York City to improve energy efficiency, reduce oil and gas usage, and cut maintenance costs.

Manual showing duct cleaning contractors how to identify the different types of insulated air ducts, how to open each type for access by cleaning equipment and personnel, how to close and seal openings after cleaning.

Specification defining performance and reporting requirements to meet the voluntary “Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pump Specification” (ccASHP Specification) for air source heat pumps suited to heat efficiently in cold climates (IECC cz 4 and higher).

Webpage outlining how to optimize the installations and performance of mini-split heat pump systems. As well, it discusses a set of design considerations for multi-level homes, low load homes, and heat distribution to rooms without a heat source.

Research study describing an experimental and theoretical investigation of the energy and hygrothermal performance of retrofit foundation insulation systems in climate zones 6 and 7.

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

Information sheet summarizing inspection and testing of combustion appliances taught during the 2006 Florida whole-house weatherization training as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hot Climate Initiative.

Report summarizing one year of monitoring and analysis of the effectiveness of a space conditioning system at maintaining temperature and relative humidity levels in a test home, as well as room-to-room differences and the actual measured energy consumption by the space conditioning system.

Report describing how space-conditioning systems are operating in the field and if these systems are meeting required standards.

Report on heating and cooling air-distribution ducts that are insulated, installed close to the ceiling in a vented attic and covered with attic insulation to minimize energy loss.

Technical report detailing a study in which actual cooling loads are compared to modeled cooling loads.

Information guide describing issues with concrete floors, in multiple climate zones.

Report covering insulating crawlspaces.

Webpage with instructions for heat pump installers to choose the most suitable type of heat pump system, according to a project’s specific requirements.

Document for contractors detailing how to prioritize, control, and configure heat pumps in a residence that uses two heating systems.

Document for customers describing the benefits of two-system controls for homes, including information answering how, when, why, and how two-system controls with multiple heating sources are employed.

The Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x4 wood frame studs, wood structural panel sheathing (WSP) as wall bracing and added backing for foam sheathing, a layer of rigid foam sheathing insulation up to 1.5 inches thick over the WSP, and a cladding system installed over the foam sheathing in low...

Part I of the Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x6 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as exterior sheathing, gypsum board as interior sheathing, and a cladding system installed over WSP sheathing in low-rise residential buildings up to three stories in height.

The Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x4 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as wall bracing and added backing for foam sheathing, a layer of rigid foam sheathing insulation up to 1.5 in. thick over the WSP, and a cladding system installed over the foam sheathing in low...

Website providing building science based guidance and training for residential construction.

Document presenting step-by-step process for installing rigid insulating sheathing over wood studs or house wrap.

Article describing research encouraging use of exterior insulation to warm interior sheathing surfaces in walls and roof assemblies to reduce the likelihood of condensation during cold weather

Standard covering requirements for the assembly, installation, maintenance, and operation of controls and safety devices on automatically operated boilers directly fired with gas, oil, gas-oil, or electricity, having fuel input ratings under 12,500,000 Btu/hr.

Research report anayzing the results of a large retrofit project, turining an old school into near zero energy consumption apartments in Greenfield MA.

Article describing the difference between conditioned or unvented attics and unconditioned or vented attics.

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

Research study examining the opportunities for cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy retrofits in residential archetypes constructed before 1980 (Pre-Code) in 14 U.S. cities.

Information sheet about crawlspace insulation, including installation details.

Article discussing whether or not to seal and insulate crawlspaces.

Job Process sheet for the manufactured housing industry showing how to cut insulation batts to fit wall cavities in a factory production environment.

Article describing the importance of air sealing, insulation, and roof ventilation in reducing the likelihood of ice dam formation on roofs in cold snowy climates.

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Source Energy and Carbon Decisions chapter helps users carefully assess the impacts of switching from gas to electricity for heating end-uses, using source energy and/or carbon emissions...

Report covering exterior energy retrofits of masonry buildings.

Report presenting a parametric analysis using a numerical model of a new concept in desiccant and evaporative air conditioning.