Library

Document reviewing four cold-climate northern Illinois energy efficiency retrofit programs to identify practices, tools, and approaches to streamline and reduce costs of comprehensive retrofits, and to improve the consistency of audit and retrofit delivery practices across different programs.

Report detailing the effects of replacing PSC motors with more efficient, variable-speed motors.

Technical report describing the evaluation of four different ventilation strategies for providing make-up air in high-performance, new construction multifamily buildings in the Northeast, emphasizing the challenges posed by increasing airtightness standards and the variability of system performance...

Webpage providing tips for installing and maintaining an evaporative cooler.

Article describing RESNET guidance on evaporative coolers.

Article describing how evaporative coolers work and how to maintain them.

Web article describing the evolution of evaporative coolers, water usage of evaporative coolers, and links to information on selecting an evaporative cooler.

Article describing a study of the potential to use heat pumps to heat and cool homes across the United States, including cold climate locations like Alaska.

Article describing benefits of ECM motors and how they can be installed as retrofit motors in HVAC equipment.

Report on the performance of range hood exhaust fans.

Expert meeting identifying installation practices that provide the best installed efficiency for residential gas furnaces, explain how AFUE and field efficiency can differ, and investigate the impact of installation practices on the efficiency and long-term durability of the furnace.

Expert meeting held to discuss simplified space conditioning systems in low load homes, including the relationship between advanced thermal enclosures, space conditioning systems and comfort.

Expert meeting held to review and discuss results and future plans for research to improve the performance of hydronic heating systems using condensing boilers and baseboard convectors.

Fact sheet describing indoor air quality (IAQ), including information on common sources of indoor air pollutants and best practices for improving IAQ.

Study characterizing how foundation heat exchangers (FHXs) used in residential ground source heat pump systems represent a potential cost savings due to their lesser first cost over other types of heat exchangers.

Report outlining how Smart ventilation controls (SVC) balance energy consumption, comfort, and IAQ by optimizing mechanical ventilation operation to reduce the heating and/or cooling loads, improve management of indoor moisture, and maintain IAQ equivalence according to ASHRAE 62.2.

Information sheet with an analysis of mini split heat pump systems.

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

Technical report on a field validation study that utilizes low-cost indoor air quality sensors to assess a smart ventilation system's effectiveness in maintaining acceptable indoor humidity in low-load homes in humid environments, revealing that while the smart ventilation algorithm demonstrated...

ASHRAE Q&A addressing HVAC filtration and disinfection for reducing the spread of COVID-19.

Page describing in detail four important actions you should consider to protect your health and indoor air quality (IAQ) when cleaning up after a flood.

This five-page brochure contains basic information on flood cleanup with illustrations and links to more detailed information.

Detailed information about Formaldehyde including health effects and strategies to reduce exposure.

Results from a research program testing airtightness, implications of air leakage and contaminant reduction over the garage-to-house interface.

Report investigating the status of the geothermal heat pump (GHP) industry and technology in the United States, assembling GHP energy savings potential, identifying key barriers to application of GHPs, and identifying actions that could accelerate adoption of GHPs.

Website with information about ENERGY STAR criteria for geothermal heat pumps.

Document describing the emissions criteria for carpets, cushions, and adhesives to qualify as those with low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions under the Carpet and Rug Institute's Green Label Plus Indoor Air Quality Testing Program.

Website highlighting the DOE Building Technologies Office Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings Initiative, including technical reports, other publications, resources, and presentations.

Website article discussing the economics of ground source heat pumps.

Report presenting a cold climate project examining and alternative approach to ground source heat pump ground loop design.

Factsheet describing the uses and benefits of ground-source heat pumps for affordable housing, assisted living, dorms and hotels.

Report about opportunities for ventilation when traditional methods are limited by weather conditions or by contaminants in the outdoor air.

Factsheet describing how to install air source heat pumps for residential heating and cooling in cold climates.

Factsheet describing how to install air source heat pumps for residential heating and cooling in cold climates.

Guide by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships on how to size heat pumps in a cold climate.

Webpage describing how to guard homes and properties against wildfire, as well as what to do during a wildfire, whether sheltering in place or attempting evacuation.

Report about indoor air quality related to indoor mold growth.

Webpage that describes health problems that can be caused by secondhand smoke.

A ENERGY STAR guide on efficient heating, ventilation and cooling systems in residential homes.

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.

Presentation about heat pump water heater modeling using EnergyPlus.

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

Report providing information for HVAC designers, installers, and consumers about air source heat pumps.

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

Article describing the impact of stack effect on building performance, highlighting how pressure differences caused by temperature and height affect air infiltration and exfiltration, and detailing strategies like compartmentalization and distributed mechanical systems to manage airflow and maintain...

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

Companion document to the Indoor airPLUS Construction Specifications, providing guidance on identifying compliant products, including industry databases and examples of product labeling.

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.