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.

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...

Article by the Canadian Government on attic ventilation and considerations for moisture and ice dams.

Report covering interior energy retrofits of masonry buildings.

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

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

Document focusing on the design and wall components that contribute to a pressure equalized rain screen wall, including the frequency of the weep holes and other brick masonry rain screen wall requirements.

Web based tool providing decision-making guidance for selecting wall assembly components.

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

Article describing the principle of capillarity in construction materials.

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

Article describing how closed crawlspaces can do "double duty" by controlling moisture and providing energy savings.

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

Guidance from Zero Energy Project on construction techniques for warmer climates, such as home orientation, and insulation requirements.

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.

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.

Report covering exterior energy retrofits of masonry buildings.

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.

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.

Report that demonstrates the durability, constructability, and cost-effectiveness of the extended plate and beam (EP&B) wall system for new construction housing projects in compliance with the International Energy Conservation Code, addressing moisture risk management and high-performance envelope...

Article describing five fundamental changes to building construction from the last 50 years and their modern construction consequences.

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.

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.

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.

Provides consumers with general information on solar water heating systems and how to select a contractor.

Report providing an introduction to current photovoltaic and solar thermal building practices.

Web article about solar site assessment.

A starting point for ballparking and comparing the cost of different siding materials and a brief overview of the pros and cons of different siding materials.

Report presenting construction methods, building products, appliances and equipment of four single-family houses that achieve dramatic energy reductions and approach “net zero energy” use.

Article describing how omission of two small but critical wall details, a kick-out flashing and a weep screed, lead to extensive water damage to a wall.

A structural insulated panel (SIP) roof has no embedded lumber in the structure, and therefore nothing substantial for attaching PV array and solar hot water mounts. Single or double lumber splines could be put into the panels, or I-joists at 4-foot intervals could be added.