Library

Project discussing buried or encapsulated ducts and their pros and cons.

Report describing the installation and operation of forced-air heating and domestic hot water combi systems in residential homes.

Document intended for designers and installers of hydronic heating systems interested in maximizing the overall system efficiency of condensing boilers when coupled with baseboard convectors. It is applicable to new and retrofit projects.

Report providing step-by-step instructions for heating contractors and hydronic designers for selecting the proper control settings to maximize system performance and improve response time when using a thermostat setback.

Document with evaluation of 14 heat pump water heaters (including three recently released HPWH products) installed in existing homes in the northeast region of the United States.

Document covering installation of high efficiency gas furnaces, including when to install a high efficiency gas furnace as a retrofit measure, how to identify and address risks, and steps to follow for the selection and installation process.

Report describing the use of passive vents as a source of outdoor air in multifamily buildings.

This document addresses adding—or improving—mechanical ventilation systems to existing homes. The purpose of ventilation is to remove contaminants from homes either directly or by dilution. This report discusses where, when, and how much ventilation is appropriate in a home, including some...

Guide describing proper application, design, and installation of mechanical ventilation cooling systems for homes located in hot-dry and cold-dry climates, as well as a means of understanding the benefits, costs, and tradeoffs of these systems.

Report describing the most cost-effective ventilation and indoor air quality solutions for multifamily homes that meet ASHRAE 62.2-2016.

Research study outlining results of monitoring a low temperature heat pump.

Standard establishing a test procedure for evaluating the performance of air-cleaning devices as a function of particle size. This is the current version of the standard, which was published in the year 2017, and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. The ASHRAE bookstore also...

This report investigates whether mini-split heat pumps can live up to their potential for one market segment: multifamily retrofits.

Website describing Minnesota Power’s New Construction Energy Efficiency program that promotes building practices and technologies that enhance new residential construction.

Document describing a hygrothermal modeling study, including all of the US climate zones, a range of interior humidity levels and numerous arrangements and types of insulation.

Report detailing a three-winter study on unvented roof assemblies in a cold climate, assessing insulation material, ridge diffusion vent presence, vapor control membranes, relative humidity, and interstitial airflow. Results indicate that utilizing air-permeable fibrous fill insulations in unvented...

Report detailing a three-winter study on unvented roof assemblies in a cold climate, assessing insulation material, ridge diffusion vent presence, vapor control membranes, relative humidity, and interstitial airflow; results indicate that utilizing air-permeable fibrous fill insulations in unvented...

Research study examining the performance of existing multifamily ventilation central systems and explored alternative solutions in retrofit situations.

DOE Energy Saver webpage providing a brief summary of natural ventilation for houses.

Database compiling extended capacity data for numerous cold climate heat pump manufacturers and models.

Report discussing the benefits of modern evaporative cooling systems for use in hot dry climate zones.

Document describing recommended modeling rules, potential compliance credits, and eligibility criteria for residential night ventilation cooling systems for California’s Title 24 energy efficiency standards.

Newsletter providing news and information to members of the New Jersey National Guard.

Fact sheet describing a novel, simplified air delivery system using a plug-and-play model that features 3-inch diameter flexible ducts, efficient fittings, and a simplified installation process that resulted in successful market engagement through commercialization.

Document on the development of two simple in-home efficiency test methods that can be used by technicians, researchers, or interested homeowners to verify the correct operation and energy efficiency of a homes air conditioning and heating equipment.

Report providing guidance on protecting foundation walls and enclosures from flood damage.

Report describing a field study to measure pollutant concentrations in 324 homes in California.

Article from Smarter Homes NZ on home building techniques that incorporate passive cooling.

Book describing passive cooling techniques from a technical and academic perspective.

Website providing guidance on passive heating, cooling, and lighting methods.

Article from Williams College on the key elements of passive solar design for homes.

Paper summarizing passive and low-energy cooling systems for buildings.

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.

Information sheet providing guidance about the placement of ventilation approaches.

Blog article describing considerations for how to use trees for shading to reduce cooling energy demand.

Report reviewing the design and the first four months of energy performance of a near zero energy project home in Callaway, Florida during the second half of 2008.

Report reviewing the design of a net zero energy home in Gainesville, Florida and then focusing on the first six months of energy performance of the project home during the second half of 2008.

Document reviewing ventilation strategies for different climate zones that also includes schematic drawings and photographs of various ventilation installations.

This study used an advanced airflow, energy and humidity modeling tool to evaluate the potential for residential mechanical pre-scooling strategies to reduce peak electriciy demand.

Article describing moisture and ice dam issues in attics and how to air seal the attic floor.

Fact sheet describing best practices in installing leak-free refrigerant systems, including specifics on creating flare joints and brazed joints, pressure testing, vacuum testing, and charging the system with refrigerant.

Technical report describing the research and development of the Ventilation-Integrated Comfort System (VICS) which is a specifically designed, energy-efficient solution that seamlessly integrates with low-capacity, ducted heating, and cooling systems, offering controllable, balanced energy recovery...

Report describing information from DOE about rules and standards for residential air conditioners and heat pumps.

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.

A free tool used to calculate the required minimum flow rate of dwelling-unit ventilation.

IECC code note explaining new fan efficacy requirements, along with how to determine which fans are affected by the new fan requirements.

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.

Report discussing instrumentation methods and field operation characteristics of two GSHPs in test houses, including a comparison between the manufacturers listed COP values and the COPs calculated from field data.

Report providing guidance on indoor air quality in single-family and multifamily housing for designers, builders, property managers, homeowners, buyers, and renters.