Skip to main content

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 1 - 10 of 10

External Insulation of Masonry Walls and Wood Framed Walls

Author(s)
Baker Peter
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Research study developing baseline engineering analysis to support the installation of thick layers of exterior insulation (2 in. to 8 in.) on existing masonry walls and wood framed walls.

High-R Walls for New Construction Structural Performance: Wind Pressure Testing

Author(s)
Desjarlais Andre O,
Kochkin Vladimir
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Report with test results that serve as a baseline of data for further material tests of other high-R wall systems and for comparison to whole-house wind pressure testing.

Measure Guideline: Installing Rigid Foam Insulation on the Interior of Existing Brick Walls

Author(s)
Natarajan Hariharan,
Puttagunta Srikanth,
Klocke Steve
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Information sheet providing information on installing Rigid XPS foam board insulation to existing brick masonry walls.

Measure Guideline: Internal Insulation of Masonry Walls

Author(s)
Schumacher Christopher,
Ueno Kohta,
Straube John
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Report summarizing the importance of properly insulating and air sealing masonry walls, providing step by step instructions and approaches.

Moisture Research - Optimizing Wall Assemblies

Author(s)
Arena Lois,
Mantha Pallavi
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 describing evaluation of several configurations of wall assemblies to determine the accuracy of moisture modeling and make recommendations to ensure durable, efficient assemblies.

Performance of Windows in Walls With Continuous Insulation

Author(s)
Peavey John,
Shah Nay B
Organization(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs,
HIRL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Technical report describing research aimed to provide window manufacturers with foundational guidance for installing windows in walls with continuous insulation (CI), addressing critical aspects such as evaluating common installation methods, establishing acceptance criteria for window performance...

Predicting Envelope Leakage in Attached Dwellings

Author(s)
Faakye Omari,
Arena Lois,
Griffiths Dianne
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Research study exploring a test method measuring air leakage between units through common surfaces and air infiltration across exterior, noncommon surfaces of the enclosure.