Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 52 results:

2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey - RECS Data

2015

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA

Federal statistics about national energy consumption in residential homes.

Air Leakage in Recessed Lighting

2002

Van der Meer Bill

Pennsylvania Housing Research/Resource Center,

PHRC

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

CFL Glossary

2021

ENERGY STAR

A website describing a list of common vocabulary used when describing light bulbs.

Choose A Light Guide

2021

ENERGY STAR

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

Cleaning Up a Broken CFL

2021

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

A website explaining how to quickly clean up a broken compact fluorescent lightbulb.

Climate Science Special Report 4th National Climate Assessment Vol 1

2017

U.S. Global Change Research Program

USGCRP,

Climate Science Special Report,

CSSR

Report assessing the science of climate change with a focus on the U.S.

Closed Crawl Space Performance: Proof of Concept in the Production Builder Marketplace

2008

Dastur Cyrus,

Mauceri Maria,

Hannas Benjamin

Advanced Energy

Report aimed to quantify the impact of closed crawlspaces in new homes, and investigate modeling software to ensure accuracy of energy consumption predictions in these homes.

Closed Crawl Spaces - An Introduction to Design, Construction and Performance

2005

Dastur Cyrus,

Davis Bruce,

Warren William E

Advanced Energy

Guide about designing and installing closed crawlspaces in the Southeast.

Color and Mood

2024

ENERGY STAR

A website explaining the various shades of light, from warm to cool colors, with a visual diagram illustrating the various shades of light.

Comparison of Measured and Calculated Residential Cooling Loads

2007

Barnaby Charles S,

Wilcox Bruce A

American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,

ASHRAE

Technical report detailing a study in which actual cooling loads are compared to modeled cooling loads.

Digital Coast

2020

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAA

Website helping communities address coastal issues with data, tools, and training resources.

Dimming CFLs and LEDs

2014

Lutron

Website discusses differences between CFL and LED bulbs.

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) Frequently Asked Questions

2011

ENERGY STAR

A FAQ explaining the purpose of the Energy Independence and Security Act, a law which sets energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs.

Energy Retrofitting Advanced Technologies in a Hot Climate, Henderson Nevada

2002

National Association of Home Builders

NAHB,

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,

HUD,

Office of Policy Development and Research,

PDR

Article from NAHB research center describing home building techniques for homes in hot climate zones.

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2024

2024

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA

Webpage on the ENERGY STAR website that list products that exceed the ENERGY STAR minimum criteria for their category, with links to several product categories, including windows, HVAC, home appliances, and computer monitors.

ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder

2024

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA

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.

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

2012

Cullin James R,

et al.

American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,

ASHRAE,

Oklahoma State University,

OSU,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

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.

FORTIFIED Home ASCE 7-10 FORTIFIED™ Wind Uplift Design Pressure Calculator for Residential Roof Coverings (2:12 or Greater)1,2,3

2020

Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety

IBHS

Calculator determining the appropriate design pressures for steep-slope roof coverings for roofers and evlauators.

Fourth National Climate Assessment, Vol 2: Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States

2018

U.S. Global Change Research Program

USGCRP

Report analyzing the effect of global climate change on national interests, and providing climate predictions.

Geospatial Data Science

2014

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

NREL,

DOE

Website with prepopulated information about the United States renewable resources.

Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings

2019

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

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

High Hats, Swiss Cheese, and Fluorescent Lighting?

2002

McCullough Jeff J,

Gordon Kelly L

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Report discussing the potential energy savings of new high-efficiency downlights, and the results of product testing to date.

How Insulating Concrete Form vs. Conventional Construction of Exterior Walls Affects Whole Building Energy Consumption

2003

Petrie Thomas W,

et al.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy,

ACEEE

Report sumarizing results of an ICF investigation of side-by-side houses in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Kick the Can! No Recessed Lights in the Building Envelope

2011

Bailes Allison

Energy Vanguard

Article discussing the downside to recessed can lights.

Learn About Brightness

2021

ENERGY STAR

A website explaining the measurement of light bulbs, measurable in lumens, & brightness levels that ENERGY STAR products produce.

Learn About LED Lighting

2021

ENERGY STAR

A website explaining the basics of LED lightning, their lifespan, their use in general lighting applications, the amount of heat produced, and why you should choose ENERGY STAR certified LED products for your home.

LED Basics - Solid-State Lighting

2013

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Information about LED lighting technology.

LED Bulbs Made Easy

2021

ENERGY STAR

A fact sheet providing information on ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs & how to find the right one to fit your lighting fixture.

LED Lightbulb Exchange

2019

Energy Action Fairfax

Fairfax County,

Webpage describing a lightbulb exchange program in Fairfax county, VA.

LED Lighting

2017

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

The light-emitting diode (LED) is one of today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technologies.

Light Bulb Key Product Criteria

2017

ENERGY STAR,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA,

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR lightbulb criteria.

Light Bulbs

2024

ENERGY STAR

A website explaining why homeowners should install ENERGY STAR certified lightbulbs, which helps to save homeowners on utility bills and protect the environment.

Light Your Home

2020

American Lighting Association

ALA

American Lighting Association website homepage.

Lighting Choices to Save You Money

2017

Energy Saver,

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Webpage describing high-efficiency lighting choices for homeowners including LEDs, CFLs, and halogen bulbs.

Lighting Controls

2021

ENERGY STAR

A website exploring the use of lighting controls products like dimmers, motion sensors and timers to save energy in the home.

Lighting Principles and Terms

2021

ENERGY STAR

A website explaining basic lighting principles and terms & how they are applied to the home.

Lumens and the Lighting Facts Label

2021

ENERGY STAR

A website explaining lumens & how to compare the amount of light that lightbulbs can produce when shopping for replacements.

National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center

2020

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

National Weather Service

NOAA,

NWS

A website issuing watches, warnings, forecasts, and analyses of hazardous tropical weather and increasing the understanding of hazards.

National Weather Service: Storm Prediction Center: Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

2020

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

National Weather Service

NOAA,

NWS

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricane's sustained wind speed.

NOAA's National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center: the Enhanced Fujita Scale

2007

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

National Weather Service

NOAA,

NWS

The Enhanced F-scale is a set of wind estimates (not measurements) based on damage which uses three-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a judgment of 8 levels of damage to the 28 indicators listed.

Performance of Four Near Zero Energy Homes: Lessons Learned

2010

Colon Carlos J,

et al.

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Paper examining the monitored performance of four newly constructed near zero energy homes in Florida.

Recycle Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)

2017

ENERGY STAR

Information about recycling CFL lightbulbs.

Recycling and Disposal of CFLs and Other Bulbs that Contain Mercury

2021

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

A website explaining the benefits of recycling compact fluorescent lightbulbs and how the process can prevent the release of mercury into the environment.

Reducing the Costs of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems: Proceedings of Solar Forum 2001

2001

Dunlop James P,

et al.

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

A report presenting alternative approaches for reducing the costs of roof-mounted, grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems.

Simplified Space Conditioning in Low-Load Homes: Results from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, New Construction Unoccupied Test House

2014

Poerschke Andrew,

Stecher Dave

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS

Study conducted to help determine cost-effective solutions for heating and cooling houses that are designed to be energy efficient.

Storm Prediction Center

2020

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

National Weather Service

NOAA,

NWS

A website providing timely and accurate forecasts and watches for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes over the contiguous United States.

The History of the Light Bulb

2013

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

A website covering the history of the lightbulb that includes a helpful timeline to illustrate lightbulb innovation from the 1800s - Present.

Thermal Performance and Wall Ratings

1996

Christian Jeffrey E,

Kosny Jan

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

Report proposing a procedure for estimating the whole opaque wall R-value (whole-wall R-value), independent of system type and construction materials.

Thermal Protection in Recessed Luminaires

2001

Pierce Jim

Independent Alliance of the Electrical Industry,

IAEI

Article on thermal protectors in recessed light fixtures.

Tips to Eliminate Energy Waste

2025

Mason PUD 3

Webpage describing methods to save energy at home, including turning down your water heater set point, scheduling your HVAC system, adding or fixing weatherstripping, and changing HVAC system filters, among other tips.