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Library

This library contains research reports produced by the Building America program and other building science resources used to support this Solution Center. The materials cover both new construction and existing homes. Use the search box and/or the filters to explore hundreds of residential building resources. Access to some references not produced by Building America may require purchase from the publisher. Documents are listed alphabetically. While we continually update our database, links may have changed since posting. Please contact our webmaster if you find broken links.

Showing results 51 - 100 of 139

Energy Savers: Geothermal Heat Pumps

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Online reference containing general information about geothermal heat pumps.

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2021 Criteria Development

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA
Publication Date
Webpage recognizing the most efficient products among those that are ENERGY STAR certified.

ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA
Publication Date
Website for finding rebates and special offers near you on ENERGY STAR certified products. Products that earn the ENERGY STAR label meet strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the U.S. EPA helping you save energy and money while protecting the environment.

ENERGY STAR® Certified Mini Split Heat Pumps

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Factsheet describing mini split heat pumps and their benefits for consumers.

Evaluation of Retrofit Variable-Speed Furnace Fan Motors

Author(s)
Aldrich Robb,
Williamson Jim
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report detailing the effects of replacing PSC motors with more efficient, variable-speed motors.

Evaporative Cooler

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage providing tips for installing and maintaining an evaporative cooler.

Evaporative Coolers

Author(s)
NORESCO
Organization(s)
NORESCO
Publication Date
Article describing RESNET guidance on evaporative coolers.

Evaporative Coolers: General History of the Evaporative Cooler

Author(s)
Pima County Public Library
Organization(s)
Pima County Public Library
Publication Date
Web article describing the evolution of evaporative coolers, water usage of evaporative coolers, and links to information on selecting an evaporative cooler.

Examining the Benefits of ECMs

Author(s)
Mohalley Christopher
Organization(s)
Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration News,
ACHR News
Publication Date
Article describing benefits of ECM motors and how they can be installed as retrofit motors in HVAC equipment.

Expert Meeting Report: Achieving the Best Installed Performance from High-Efficiency Residential Gas Furnaces

Author(s)
Brand Larry
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Gas Technology Institute,
GTI Energy,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
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 Report: Simplified Space Conditioning Strategies for Energy Efficient Houses

Author(s)
Stecher Dave
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
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: Optimized Heating Systems Using Condensing Boilers and Baseboard Convectors

Author(s)
Arena Lois
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
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.

Feasibility of Foundation Heat Exchangers for Residential Ground Source Heat Pump Systems in the United States

Author(s)
Cullin James R,
Xing Lu,
Lee Edwin,
Spitler Jeffrey D,
Fisher Daniel E
Organization(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
ASHRAE,
Oklahoma State University,
OSU,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL
Publication Date
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.

Field Monitoring Protocol: Mini-Split Heat Pumps

Author(s)
Christensen Dane,
Tomerlin Jeff,
Winkler Jon,
Hancock Ed,
Fang Xia
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Mountain Energy Partnership,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Information sheet with an analysis of mini split heat pump systems.

Field Validation of a Smart Energy Recovery Ventilation System Using Low-Cost Indoor Air Quality Sensors

Author(s)
Hains Bryant,
Abi Saab Rawad,
Giddings Tylesha,
Magande Hugh,
Grygier Jenna,
Liang Donghai,
Gao Han,
Sarnat Jeremy,
Horner Elliott
Organization(s)
Southface
Publication Date
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...

Flood Cleanup: Protecting Indoor Air Quality

Author(s)
US Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
This five-page brochure contains basic information on flood cleanup with illustrations and links to more detailed information.

Geothermal (Ground-Source) Heat Pumps: Market Status, Barriers to Adoption, and Actions to Overcome Barriers

Author(s)
Hughes Patrick J
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
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.

Geothermal Heat Pumps Key Product Criteria

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Website with information about ENERGY STAR criteria for geothermal heat pumps.

Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings

Author(s)
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Website highlighting the DOE Building Technologies Office Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings Initiative, including technical reports, other publications, resources, and presentations.

Ground Source Heat and Cooling

Author(s)
Seth Masia
Organization(s)
American Solar Energy Society,
ASES
Publication Date
Website article discussing the economics of ground source heat pumps.

Heat & Cool Efficiently

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
A ENERGY STAR guide on efficient heating, ventilation and cooling systems in residential homes.

Heat Pump Retrofit Strategies for Multifamily Buildings

Author(s)
Steven Winter Associates,
Natural Resources Defense Council
Organization(s)
SWA,
NRDC
Publication Date
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.

Heating and Cooling With a Heat Pump

Author(s)
Natural Resources Canada
Organization(s)
Natural Resources Canada
Publication Date
Report providing information for HVAC designers, installers, and consumers about air source heat pumps.

Hot Water Solutions

Author(s)
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Organization(s)
NEEA
Publication Date
Website for consumers describing heat pump water heater technology and linking to retailers and installers.

HVAC – Cold Climate Heat Pump Sizing

Author(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
PNNL,
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage providing curriculum with links to presentations and problem sets for teaching an understanding of sizing cold climate heat pumps.

HVAC A Guide for Contractors to Share with Homeowners, Volume 14

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L,
Baechler Michael C,
Hefty Marye G,
Hand James R,
Love Pat M
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
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.

HVAC in Multifamily Buildings

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
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.

HVAC Sizing Tool

Author(s)
BetterBuilt Northwest,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Organization(s)
BetterBuiltNW,
NEEA
Publication Date
Software tool available free online that can help calculate heating and cooling requirements to accurately size HVAC equipment in as little as 15 minutes.

HVAC System Pressure Relief

Author(s)
Raymer Paul H,
Moyer Neil
Organization(s)
Tamarack Technologies,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Correcting pressure imbalances in your HVAC system can result in a healthier, more efficient home.

Improved Modeling of Residential Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps for Energy Calculations

Author(s)
Cutler Dylan,
Winkler Jon,
Kruis Neal,
Christensen Craig B,
Brandemuhl Michael J
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
University of Colorado,
CU
Publication Date
Report presenting improved air conditioner (AC) and heat pump (HP) modeling methods in the context of whole-building simulation tools.

Integrated Ventilation System Increases Energy Efficiency and Ease of Installations

Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Organization(s)
NREL
Publication Date
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...

Interaction between Heat Pump Water Heaters or Other Internal Point Source Loads and a Central Heating System

Author(s)
Widder Sarah H,
Metzger Cheryn E,
McIntosh Joshua A,
Petersen Joseph M
Organization(s)
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
NEEA,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Report describing the objective evaluation of space conditioning interactions between heat pump water heaters and home heating systems during winter 2016-2017, revealing a smaller than anticipated impact on space conditioning loads.

IoT-Based Comfort Control and Fault Diagnostics System for Energy-Efficient Homes

Author(s)
O'Neill Zheng,
Tao Yang,
Jin Wen,
Kimball Richard,
Ningxuan Wen,
Taasevigen Danny,
Xiao Hai
Organization(s)
Texas A&M University,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
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.