Library

Article discussing the advantages of using heat pumps and/or hydronic forced air heat instead of furnaces in high-performance homes.

Webpage providing basic information on various types of heat pumps and their applications in Massachusetts.

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

Web article about solar site assessment.

Website providing certified rating programs to help manufacturers, builders, contractors and homeowners compare performance of ventilation products for air flow, sound, and other performance characteristics.

Report presenting seismic design and construction guidance for one- and two-family houses for homebuilders, knowledgeable homeowners, and other non-engineers.

Website for consumers describing heat pump water heater technology and linking to retailers and installers.

Report presenting construction methods, building products, appliances and equipment of four single-family houses that achieve dramatic energy reductions and approach “net zero energy” use.

Article describing considerations for choosing a room-level air cleaner to improve indoor air quality.

Article from The Earthbound Report on passive cooling design strategies for homes located in hot climates.

Article describing how to use radiator inlet orifices optimize two-pipe steam heating systems.

Factsheet describing how to partially install a heat pump in a manufactured home in the manufactured home factory.

Website blog with guidance about calculating heat-loss.

Factsheet outlining the advantages of using heat pumps, which are an efficient way to heat and cool a home.

Report providing the results of an analysis of humidity control and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system efficiency in three new multifamily buildings in New York, NY.

Fact Sheet describing the need for supplemental dehumidification, dehumidifier configuration options, and design considerations.

Webpage providing curriculum with links to presentations and problem sets for teaching an understanding of sizing cold climate heat pumps.

Report providing information about energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) equipment options to help homeowners cut their energy use, reduce their carbon footprint, and increase their homes comfort, health, and safety.

Standards criteria supporting ICC HVAC duct support standards.

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.

Software tool available free online that can help calculate heating and cooling requirements to accurately size HVAC equipment in as little as 15 minutes.

Correcting pressure imbalances in your HVAC system can result in a healthier, more efficient home.

Website providing an online directory of more than 3,600 residential ventilation products lisiting flowrates, sones, watts, and other performance metrics; all listed products have been tested by the Home Ventilating Institute.

Report summarizing the status of a central hydronic heating system project in multifamily housing at the conclusion of the 20112012 heating season.

Report evaluating the relative effectiveness of various control and distribution strategies to improve hydronic space heating performance in existing low-rise multifamily buildings

Wildfire guidance for homes located in the wildland urban interface, focused on site design and individual pieces of the home.

Ignition resistant residential construction and landscaping guidelines from FireSafe Montana.

Journal article detailing laboratory and simulation studies quantifying the impact that heat pump and air conditioner installation faults have on system capacity and efficiency.

The study described in this white paper is based on building energy modeling with an important focus on the indoor humidity impacts of ventilation.

Report summarizing approaches to addressing duct leakage in hot humid climates.

Report presenting improved air conditioner (AC) and heat pump (HP) modeling methods in the context of whole-building simulation tools.

Presentation on Improving Air-Conditioner and Heat Pump Modeling.

Report examining the impacts that common installation practices and age- induced equipment degradation may have on the installed performance of natural gas furnaces, as measured by steady-state efficiency and AFUE.

Article describing what evaporative coolers are, how they work, different types, performance, where they are appropriate, and how to install and maintain them.

Fact sheet describing the newly developed Ventilation-Integrated Comfort System (VICS) that reduces space requirements and eliminates costly ductwork for separate heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, all while enhancing performance, addressing the demand for energy-efficient homes, and...

Report about promoting energy efficiency for Hilton Head Island.

Report describing as-found interior platform return plenums, the magnitude of their contribution to the total amount of duct leakage, and techniques and results of retrofits executed by the HVAC trade during equipment replacement.

Report describing the results of a 21-home field study investigating the effectiveness and failure rates of whole-house mechanical ventilation systems installed in Florida homes over the last 15 years.

Research report discussing the reduction of HVAC energy consumption to meet U.S. greenhouse gas targets and DOE's energy-efficient building goals. It introduces iComfort, an IoT-based system for optimizing home comfort and energy savings.

Information sheet about efficiency and health benefits of MERV filters.

Article describing air leakage in buildings.

Article from University of Arizona on keeping homes cool during extreme heat, both personal and system changes.

Report providing information about laboratory testing of four residential window air conditioners.

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

Guide describing landscaping tips for healthy and regionally-based gardens, including maintenance, mulching, water efficiency, and plant resources.

Paper describing vegetation impacts on cooling load for buildings.

Guide for homeowners describing actions they can take to modify their home and the surrounding site to create a survivable space to reduce the amount of damage a home would likely experience during a wildfire.

Report on whole-house and spot ventilation strategies for improved indoor air quality.

Report on the long-term performance of mini-split heat pumps.