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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 101 - 135 of 135

Rated Wall Products Directory

Author(s)
Cool Roof Rating Council
Organization(s)
CRRC
Publication Date
Searchable database of wall cladding and coating products that have undergone solar reflectance and thermal emittance testing.

Residential Heating and Cooling Loads Component Analysis

Author(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Organization(s)
LBNL
Publication Date
Report describing a study using parametric computer simulations of 112 single-family and 63 multi-family residential building prototypes to quantify the contributions of building components such as roofs, walls, windows, infiltration, outside air, lighting, equipment, and people to the aggregate...

Science of Cool Roofs

Author(s)
CoolCalifornia
Organization(s)
California Air Resources Board
Publication Date
Webpage discussing the characteristics of sunlight and how cool roofs work to reduce solar heat gain.

SelecTree: A Tree Selection Guide

Author(s)
Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute,
California Polytechnic State University
Organization(s)
UFEI,
Cal Poly
Publication Date
Website tool that can search for trees by name or characteristics and retrieve data describing tree attributes including site preferences and general characteristics and considerations.

Small Wind Site Assessment Guidelines

Author(s)
Olsen Tim,
Preus Robert
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Technical report providing site selection guidance for installation of small wind turbines.

Solar Radiation Data Manual for Buildings

Author(s)
Marion William,
Wilcox Stephen
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Document providing incident solar radiation data and window overhang sizing guidance for multiple locations across the U.S.

SRI Calculator

Author(s)
Levinson Ronnen
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Spreadsheet tool that computes solar reflectance index (SRI) and roof surface temperature based on solar reflectance and thermal emittance using ASTM standard E 1980.

Sustainable Development Guidelines

Author(s)
Gray Mike
Organization(s)
Town of Clarkdale
Publication Date
Presentation on sustainable development including water conservation, passive solar, daylighting, natural ventilation, and land use.

Sustainable Living Series

Author(s)
Office of Sustainability
Organization(s)
Washington University St. Louis
Publication Date
Presentation by the Washington University in St. Louis Office of Sustainability on saving energy.

Team Negawatt

Author(s)
Duarte Carlos,
Gandhi Priya,
Kim Antony,
Landsman Jared,
Santos Luis,
Tepfer Sara,
Wang Taoning
Organization(s)
Center for the Built Environment,
CBE,
University of California Berkeley,
UC Berkeley
Publication Date
Presentation on urban land use and sustainable building design.

The Importance of Windows in Hot Climates

Author(s)
Ueno Kohta
Organization(s)
Green Building Advisor,
GBA
Publication Date
Article from Green Building Advisor on the importance of window selection in hot climates, with an emphasis on window glazing.

Thermal Mass

Author(s)
Reardon Chris,
McGee Caitlin,
Milne Geoff
Organization(s)
Australian Government
Publication Date
Webpage providing guidance on the use of thermal mass with passive heating and cooling strategies.

Thermal Mass in Building Design

Author(s)
Baggs David,
Mortensen Neal
Organization(s)
Australian Council of Building Design Professions Ltd,
BDP
Publication Date
Design guide providing technical information regarding building with thermal mass.

Thermal Mass Solutions

Author(s)
Habian Bob
Organization(s)
National Council of Structural Engineers Association,
NCSEA
Publication Date
Article detailing a case study in which thermal mass was used as part of an overall Net Zero solution for a university building.

Tips & Resources - Evaporative Coolers

Author(s)
City of Fresno
Organization(s)
City of Fresno
Publication Date
Webpage from the City of Fresno's Water Conservation Program describing household water conservation recommendations, including tips for maintaining evaporative coolers.

Trees for Energy Conservation

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Organization(s)
USDA
Publication Date
Training course describing how to incorporate trees into an energy-conserving landscape.

Urban Forestry Manual

Author(s)
U.S. Forest Service
Organization(s)
USFA
Publication Date
Manual describing scientific, technical, and practical information needed to work with communities on urban forestry, including a section on trees and construction.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Organization(s)
USDA
Publication Date
Interactive map maintained by the USDA showing plant hardiness zones throughout the U.S.

Using Cool Roofs to Reduce Heat Islands

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Webpage describing the use of cool roofs to reduce heat islands and and benefits and costs.

Warning Signs and Symptoms of Heat-Related Illness

Author(s)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Organization(s)
CDC
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing how to identify heat-related illness and what actions to take.

What is a Cool Exterior Wall?

Author(s)
Cool Roof Rating Council
Organization(s)
CRRC
Publication Date
Web page explaining what a cool exterior wall is and how they work, as well as benefits to their use and links to research studies.

What is a Cool Roof?

Author(s)
Cool Roof Rating Council
Organization(s)
CRRC
Publication Date
Web page explaining what a cool roof is and how they work, as well as benefits to their use and links to research studies.

Who's Leading: The Dance Between Mini-Splits and Existing HVAC Systems

Author(s)
Metzger Cheryn E
Publication Date
Conference paper presented at the 2020 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings presenting the results of an evaluation of control strategies used when new mini-splits are installed in a home with an existing HVAC system.

Whole House Fans

Author(s)
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Organization(s)
PG&E,
California Public Utilities Commission
Publication Date
Technical fact sheet describing proper operation, sizing, and installation of whole-house fans.

Wind and Trees: Air Infiltration Effects on Energy Use in Housing

Author(s)
Mattingly G.E.,
Peters E.F.
Organization(s)
Princeton University
Publication Date
Paper describing wind influences on air infiltration related energy losses for residential housing and the shielding effects of fences, adjacent structures, and vegetation.