Library

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.

Guide developed to help contractors, building operators, and city officials successfully adopt cool roof and pavement technology.

Website article describing the advantages and disadvantages of AC and DC battery energy storage systems and inverters for solar power systems.

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 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.

Webpage from Suntegrity Solar describing different backup power generator options to prepare for future power outages.

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

Website providing comparison charts and reviews of battery energy storage systems for solar power systems.

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.

Website with consumer and contractor information about building codes and regulations for solar water heating systems.

Installation manual for installing metal panel siding.

Webpage providing information on how window shading can reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

Website for the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon competition.

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.

Checklist describing solar water heating recommendations per the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program.

Information about dense pack, cellulose insulation.

Study presenting generalized results regarding the effect of surface orientation on annual incident solar radiation for locations in the United States.

Article describing a case study in which a whole-house battery and PV system was tested in a home with cooling and refrigeration during a hurricane in Florida.

Document talking about the topic Energy-Efficient Florida Home Building.

DOE-sponsored report describing the experimental setup and results of field studies on using interior cellular shading attachments to reduce solar heat gain in summer and reduce heat loss in winter.

Report describing the methods and results of a field evaluation of the energy performance of cellular shade window coverings.

DOE-sponsored report describing the experimental setup and results of field studies on using exterior fabric shading attachments to reduce solar heat gain, reduce glare, and improve comfort.

Study reporting the results of comparative testing of the effect of various roof types on cooling energy performance in a test facility.

Website with information for consumers about solar thermal systems for homes.

A website providing geospatial data , tools, and maps including data on the U.S. solar resources for solar power.

Article describing EV charging, charger features, and other considerations for picking and installing EV chargers.

Fact sheet defining a grid-interactive efficient building and its benefits.

Website highlighting the DOE Building Technologies Office Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings Initiative, including technical reports, other publications, resources, and presentations.

Report evaluating lighting and electronic building technologies based on their ability to provide grid services and the type of value provided, including efficiency, load shed, load shift, and modulation.

Factsheet describing how to install air source heat pumps for residential heating and cooling in cold climates.

Factsheet describing how to install air source heat pumps for residential heating and cooling in cold climates.

A article about the best practice method of installing fiber cement siding, to install flashing at the butt joints of the siding boards, rather than face caulking the butt joints afterwards.

LBNL webpage introducing heat island effect and cool materials concepts, and providing links to LBNL pages explaining cool pavements, cool roofs, and cool walls.

LBNL webpage providing resources and tools related to cool technologies, including the SRI calculator and the DOE Cool Roof Calculator.