Library

Article describing the control layers (air, thermal, and vapor barriers) needed to build homes successfully in very cold locations.

Document containing recommendations on how to brace roofs and gable end walls based on lessons learned from analyzing the destruction from hurricane Andrew.

An article discussing how different metal roof materials and attachment methods affect the ability of the roof to thermally expand and contract and the durability of different solutions.

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.

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

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.

News article from SFGate explaining and giving figures on how chimney failure is the most common type of damage to homes during an earthquake.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Study investigating measured cooling energy performance in side-by-side identical homes with varying roof types, including cool roof technologies.

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

Manual assisting architects, engineers, owners and roofing contractors for designing, specifying and installing roof tiles in areas of snow and ice.

Installation manual describing proper installation practices, industry standards and the code requirements of roofing tiles.

Installation manual outlining proper installation practices, industry standards and the code requirements of roofing tiles.

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.

A website explaining how to properly dispose of old refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.

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

ENERGY STAR webpage discussing the costs and benefits of cool roofs.

Webpage from U.S. Department of Energy describing 'cool roofs' and their usage for passive home cooling.

Web page providing information on the types of cool roofs and their benefits to consumers.

Tool developed by LBNL to calculate potential savings from increasing wall and roof solar reflectance.

Study reporting the results of comparative testing of the effect of finished and unfinished metal roofing systems on cooling energy performance in a test facility.

Report exploring alternative methods to find long-term solutions to energy loss in 1 ½-story homes to save energy, improve comfort, prevent frost buildup on the underside of the roof deck, and reduce the risk of ice dam formation/reformation.

This case study describes costs associated with the External Thermal and Moisture Management System developed by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership for retrofitting roofs with rigid foam over the roof deck, especially on one and a half-story homes.

Website providing information about the Cool Roof Rating Council including programs, membership, and resources for the construction industry.

Article describing strategies for reducing the risk of ice dam formation on roofs in winter.

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.

Webpage explaining what causes the formation of ice dams on roofs and steps to take to prevent them.

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...

Article from Green Building Advisor on strategies to take when building homes to reduce the need for air conditioning, including insulation, windows, site selection, and roofing.

Technical report describing algorithms that use communicating thermostat heating data and that were developed to optimize customer adoption of energy conservation measures, enhancing the identification of retrofit opportunities, estimating post-retrofit energy savings, and enabling home-specific...

Report examining the use of smart thermostat data to detect performance degradation and optimize comfort control in home AC systems.

The main principle of smart ventilation used in this study is to shift ventilation from time periods with large indoor-outdoor temperature differences, to periods where these differences are smaller, and their energy impacts are expected to be less.

Online database with efficiency information about residential HVAC systems and commercial refrigeration equipment.

A guide on the use of rain barrels for greater water efficiency and use in gardens and lawns.

A research paper exploring the installation and mounting of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on rooftops and the challenges faced by system designers and installers.

Simple web-based tool allowing homeowners to calculate the potential savings from installing a cool roof.

A PDF containing the SERC Solar PV System Field-Inspection Checklist.

Webpage describing the successes and ongoing efforts of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance's Go Ductless ductless heat pump program which successfully encouraged the installation of more than 150,000 minisplit heat pumps in the Northwest between 2010 and 2021.

Webpage describing the advantages and disadvantages of ductless mini-split air conditioner.

Research report with results from field tests in two homes in Austin, Texas, from October 2011 to June 2012 to evaluate the comfort performance of ductless mini-split heat pumps

Factsheet describing methods for securing HVAC units to avoid damage during an earthquake.

Bulletin describing the components of ECM motors and comparing their efficiency with PSC motors.

Computer simulations comparing International Journal of Advanced Structural Engineering wind pressure differences between a gable-ended roof versus a hip roof versus a pyramidal-shaped roof.