Library

Report assessing the energy performance of the 2011 EVHA winners and to align the EVHA program with the BA program.

Federal statistics about national energy consumption in residential homes.

Catalog describing FEMA preparedness seminars from 2021 including preparedness and natural hazards topics.

Webpage providing guidance on the 45L tax credit, assembling the most relevant information for Northwest builders to maximize their tax credit and build energy efficient homes.

Report discussing opportunities and trends in the U.S. home performance contracting industry, along with market drivers such as consumer demand; federal, state, and local programs; and utility and non-governmental programs.

Factsheet describing how the U.S. DOE's Zero Energy Ready Home program has evolved since 2013. This factsheet includes case studies, statistics about the program and specific building components, and a general outline of program requirements.

Article describing utility rates, net metering policies, installation costs, financial incentives, and other info for both consumers who are interested in installing renewable energy systems and for energy justice and clean energy advocates.

Factsheet describing the motivation for adopting the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code and how the 2021 IECC Assemblies Tool developed by PNNL can be used to find IECC compliant whole-house assembly drawings.

Factsheet describing the challenges faced when achieving high-performance multifamily homes.

Fact sheet describing best strategies to bring ductwork on single-story homes with a slab-on-grade foundation in hot, dry climates into the conditioned envelope of the home intending to highlight the pros and cons of multiple ductwork integration strategies, including traditional duct systems in...

The research report outlines a practical and cost-effective strategy utilizing central HVAC systems to optimize humidity control and ventilation in energy-efficient homes located in hot-humid climates, demonstrating significant improvements without requiring complex equipment upgrades.

Article describing recessed lighting, which if installed incorrectly may contribute to air leakage and compromise building envelope efficiency.

Technical report describing how the FSEC Energy Research Center explores low-cost space-conditioning upgrades for existing homes by integrating centrally located, high-efficiency ductless mini split heat pumps with older but functional central space conditioning systems, aiming to achieve energy...

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.

Standard providing a methodology for evaluating the installation quality of unitary HVAC systems.

Report covering moisture and leakage issues associated with spray foam insulation application to the underside of roof sheathing.

Document highlighting federal accessibility laws which may apply to a housing development, and common mistakes made in the field which, if avoided, will help to ensure compliance.

Report describing the business case of hosting a Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging station in New York, including analysis of real-world data on equipment use, costs, revenue, and assumptions derived from industry reports and original research.

Report assessing the accuracy of HEST as it was being developed and to provide information useful to DOE program managers and HEST development team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

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.

DOE report characterizing market and technical barriers impeding broader utilization of fault detection technology for residential HVAC energy efficiency applications.

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

Report describing the best practices for the safe, efficient, and compliant installation of residential air source heat pump water heaters (HPWH) in California, aligning with the state's climate goals and providing guidance for educators, installers, and industry stakeholders.

Information sheet about insulating slabs.

Document providing guidance to U.S. home builders who want to accept the challenge.

Guidance document providing BA research teams and partners with specific information and approaches to identifying and overcoming potential barriers to Building America (BA) innovations arising in and/or stemming from codes, standards, and rating methods.

A website providing information on the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America Solution Center, a source for innovations in residential building energy performance, energy efficiency, quality, affordability and comfort for more than 20 years.

Report summarizing research results for the 30% energy savings level and demonstrates that lead builders can successfully provide 30% homes in the Marine Climate Region on a cost-neutral basis.

This report will review, and summarize the current state of understanding and research into enclosures with higher thermal resistance, so-called “High-R Enclosures.” Recommendations are provided for further research.

Website providing information about the Title 24 building energy efficiency standards for the State of California and links to current and past standards including the 2025, 2022, 2019, and 2016 standards, etc.

Document with the Quality Control Checklist developed as both a guide to assist in the transition to high performance home building, and as a simplified tool to be used as part of any builder's on-site quality control procedures.

Reference investigating the strategy of using buried and/or encapsulated ducts to reduce duct thermal losses in residential buildings.

A simple three-step guide for homeowners who are looking to replace existing light bulbs with more energy-efficient, higher-performing bulbs.

Installation manual for installing metal panel siding.

Report on improving passive design adoption rates.

Report documenting the results of an in-depth evaluation of thermal comfort for two potential net zero-energy homes (NZEHs) in Massachusetts.

Report about instrumentation and limited short-term testing completed on a retrofit unoccupied test house in Fresno, California.

An article illustrating common errors found in fiber cement siding installations. Many of these errors and poor flashing examples apply to siding materials beyond fiber cement siding.

Two hourly energy simulation software, BEopt and Energy Gauge USA, were compared to ensure accuracy and evaluate agreement on the impact of various energy efficiency improvements.

Article introducing the FTC’s new EnergyGuide label, including estimates of annual energy usage.

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.

Website for CEE, the US and Canadian consortium of natural gas and electric efficiency program administrators.

Article about how mortar droppings during the installation of a brick veneer can clog the weep holes in the wall assembly causing moisture damage. The article also illustrates products that can be installed in the ventilated cavity to mitigate this problem.

The Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x4 wood frame studs, wood structural panel sheathing (WSP) as wall bracing and added backing for foam sheathing, a layer of rigid foam sheathing insulation up to 1.5 inches thick over the WSP, and a cladding system installed over the foam sheathing in low...

Website providing building science based guidance and training for residential construction.

Document presenting step-by-step process for installing rigid insulating sheathing over wood studs or house wrap.

Article describing research encouraging use of exterior insulation to warm interior sheathing surfaces in walls and roof assemblies to reduce the likelihood of condensation during cold weather

Information sheet about crawlspace insulation, including installation details.

A presentation describing the details of the ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction program requirements.