Library

Article describing vapor retarder requirements in the International Residential Code and International Building Code 2021.

Report providing builders in the hot-dry and mixed-dry climates with guidance for building homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Article describing thermal bridging, construction practices that encourage thermal bridging, and solutions.

Guide providing information for homeowners and renters on how to clean up residential mold problems and how to prevent mold growth.

Report telling consumers the risks of radon, how radon gets into a home, and steps consumers can take to reduce radon exposure in their homes.

Guide for homeowners describing how to find and seal basement and attic air leaks, determine if attic insulation is adequate, make improvements safely, and reduce energy bills.

Report describing testing and analysis on deep energy retrofits of existing single-family homes in the U.S.

Paper discussing innovative strategies for improving ventilation systems in high-rise apartment buildings, focusing on compartmentalization and controlling stack effect pressures to enhance indoor air quality and energy efficiency published in the Proceedings of the Eighth Conference on Building...

Article describing methods for thermally isolating a garage in a Passive House-certified multifamily building.

Website containing commercial information related to air conditioning and heating.

Fact sheet poster describing how to add exterior, continuous, rigid insulation to the exterior walls when replacing siding on an existing home.

Technical report describing the research behind a new aerosol-based sealing method, utilizing pressurization and a dispersed sealant fog, facilitated by a standard blower door, to automatically measure, locate, and seal air leaks in new homes in the United States, providing an efficient solution to...

Technical report describing the SPS (Structural Panel System), an innovative implementation of the "perfect wall" concept, situating environmental control layers on the exterior side of structural components for improved constructability, cost-effectiveness, and performance, validated through the...

Website reporting efficiencies for dehumidifiers, room air conditioners, and room air cleaners that are tested by independent laboratories and reported by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

Information on the control of air flow across building enclosures to control moisture damage, reduce energy losses, and ensure occupant comfort and health. A continuous, strong, stiff, durable and air impermeable air barrier system is required between the exterior and conditioned space to control...

Document reporting results from a study done to evaluate effects of automotive emissions from attached garages on the indoor environment.

Case study about high humidity, mold and condensation on surfaces in S. Florida, and how building characteristics cause and amplify these problems.

Case study examining the problem of unwanted air transfer from garage to living space and the effectiveness of garage exhaust ventilation or house supply ventilation to provide a solution to that.

Website describing indoor air quality, and common indoor pollutants and how to reduce exposure to them.

Article describing technologies available for monitoring indoor air quality (IAQ).

Website describing archived program inforamtion for the Air Sensors International Conference, hosted by the University of California, Davis.

Website article interviewing the inventor of the Larsen truss, a history of its use, and a discussion of its advantages and disadvantages.

Article about different types of weather resistant barrier.

Standard detailing the specific requirements for all face, back, and inner ply grades as well as formaldehyde emissions, moisture content, tolerances, sanding, and grade marking which was published in 2020, can be acquired through a subscription with the ANSI webstore.

Updated detailed information about Formaldehyde.

Report that collected field data from a whole-home program in Illinois are utilized to compare marketplace-installed measures to the energy saving optimal packages previously developed for 15 housing types.

Report on adding insulation to load-bearing mass masonry buildings.

Report about a building project in the marine climate.

Technical report describing the thermal performance of 40 common building envelope details for mid- and high-rise buildings, including analyses to optimize energy efficiency and reduce thermal bridging.

Document describing recent discussions on indoor carbon dioxide (CO 2) levels.

Report focused on foundation insulation R-values for cold climates and the design, construction, and performance implications.

ASTM standard providing test methods for determining duct air leakage in low-rise residential and commercial buildings.

Report describing information for builders and retrofitters about eliminating hazards and coincidental energy losses that come from attached garages.

Report about a project that examines implementation of advanced retrofit measures in the context of a large-scale weatherization program and the archetypal Chicago, Illinois, brick bungalow.

This report outlines research activities that are expected to facilitate the adoption of energy retrofits by remodeling contractors and roofing contractors using retrofit panels which applicable to many existing house designs in most climates and markets.

Article describing the building science implications of insulating vented or unvented attics.

Article describing the research into insulating vented versus unvented attics.

SPFA website signup page to access SPFA documents.

Report describing approaches to insulating basements in homes built to meet Energy Star levels of performance of heat loss reduction.

Information sheet describing techniques for insulating basements.

Report summarizing commissioning, short-term testing, utility bill data analysis, and results of on-site monitoring of a deep energy retrofit.

Article describing the common ventilation system types, issues, and solutions in New York City's multifamily residential buildings to improve indoor air quality, occupant health, and building durability.

Brochure explaining the essential basis for advanced framing and some of the more common advanced framing details.

Information sheet about sealing combustion appliances to ensure good indoor air quality.

Information sheet about insulating slabs.

Information sheet about soil gas control strategies for foundations.

Information sheet providing recommendations on the installation of vapor control layers.

Article describing selecting insulation for minimizing condensation risks.

A book about structurally insulated panels.