Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 202 results:

10 Reasons Why a Mini-Split Ductless Flare May Leak Refrigerant!

2023

Migliaccio Craig

AC Service Tech LLC

Web article describing common issues that can cause refrigerant system flare joints to leak.

2009 International Plumbing Code - IPC

2018

International Code Council

ICC

2009 edition of code establishing minimum regulations for plumbing facilities, including fixtures, water heaters, water supply and distribution, sanitary drainage, storm drainage, etc.

2012 International Plumbing Code - IPC

2018

International Code Council

ICC

2012 edition of code establishing minimum regulations for plumbing facilities, including fixtures, water heaters, water supply and distribution, sanitary drainage, storm drainage, etc.

2015 International Plumbing Code - IPC

2021

International Code Council

ICC

2015 edition of code establishing minimum regulations for plumbing facilities, including fixtures, water heaters, water supply and distribution, sanitary drainage, storm drainage, etc.

2018 International Plumbing Code - IPC

2021

International Code Council

ICC

2018 edition of code establishing minimum regulations for plumbing facilities, including fixtures, water heaters, water supply and distribution, sanitary drainage, storm drainage, etc.

2020 Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, Seventh Edition

2020

International Code Council

ICC

2020 energy efficiency code for the state of Florida.

2020 Minnesota State Mechanical Code MN rule chapter 1346

2020

Rosival Chris

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry,

MNDLI

A presentation on the 2020 State Mechanical Code for easier understanding.

A Guide to Preserving Trees in Development Projects

2022

Elmendorf William,

Gerhold Henry,

Kuhns Larry

Pennsylvania State University Extension,

PennState Extension

Article describing tree health, environmental considerations, and details on how to preserve trees.

A Practical Guide to Climate-resilient Buildings & Communities

2021

United Nations Environment Programme

UNEP

Guidance document from the UN environment programme on climate-resilient buildings and communities practices, including guidance on heat waves, drought, hurricanes, and flooding.

A Practical Guide to Cool Roofs and Cool Pavements

2012

Global Cool Cities Alliance,

R20 Regions of Climate Action

GCCA,

R20

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

ACEEE 2024 Summer Study on Energy-Efficiency in Buildings Factsheet: Window Coverings that Can Take the Heat

2024

Katherine Cort,

Theresa Gilbride

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Factsheet describing how window shades can keep out unwanted heat, detailing the most effective products and practices.

Affordable Passive Solar Planbook for North Carolina

2005

Appalachian State University

AEC,

App State

Study from Appalachian State University on passive solar design to take advantage of local climate zones for energy conservation.

Air Sealing Colorado Homes – 10.634

2019

Weiner C.

Colorado State University,

U.S. Department of Agriculture,

USDA

Fact sheet describing air-sealing concerns and remedies, including HRV/ERV installation, caulking, spray foam, and weatherstrip installation.

All About Shade Trees

2022

Huber Jeanne

This Old House

Article describing shade trees and how to plant, maintain, and replace them.

An Experimental Analysis of the Impact of Tree Shade on Electricity Consumption

2009

Laband David N,

Sophocleus John P

International Society of Arboriculture

Paper describing an experiment to quantify shade tree impacts on cooling-related electricity consumption, finding that there may be sizable benefits in hot regions.

APA The Engineered Wood Association Homepage

2020

APA - The Engineered Wood Association

American Plywood Association,

APA

Website homepage of APA – The Engineered Wood Association, a nonprofit trade association combining the research efforts of scientists and engineers, APA promotes new solutions and improved processes that benefit the entire industry.

Architecture of New Mexico

2022

Albuquerque Museum

City of Albuquerque,

CABQ

Power Point PDF presentation on historical architecture in New Mexico

Attic Venting, Attic Moisture, and Ice Dams

1999

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

CMHC,

Government of Canada

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

Be Prepared For Extreme Heat, FEMA V-1004

2018

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Information sheet from FEMA on preparation for extreme heat, including measures for keeping homes cool.

Benefits of Demand-Controlled Pumping

2009

Acker Larry,

Klein Gary

Home Energy Magazine,

Taco Comfort

Article describing how demand plumbing systems send cold water back to the water heater until hot water arrives at the sink, shower or other fixture where it is needed.

Benefits of Trees

2022

Arbor Day Foundation

Article describing the benefits trees provide through quotes and anecdotes.

Best Practices Solar Case Study: John Wesley Miller Companies, Armory Park del Sol Tucson Arizona

2009

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Case study describing solar thermal and photovoltaic systems in new construction.

Builders Challenge Guide to 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Hot-Dry and Mixed-Dry Climates Solar Case Study Grupe: Carsten Crossings, Rocklin California

2009

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Case study describing solar thermal and photovoltaic systems in new construction.

Building America Best Practices Series: Solar Case Study: Pulte Homes, Civano Tucson AZ

2007

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Case study describing solar thermal and photovoltaic systems in new construction.

Building Codes and Regulations for Solar Water Heating Systems

2012

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

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

Building Orientation for Optimum Energy

2022

Gromicko Nick,

Gromicko Ben

InterACHI

Webpage explaining how to site and orient a house to take advantage of the solar path.

Building Thermal Performance, Extreme Heat, and Climate Change

2017

Nahlik Matthew J.,

et al.

American Society of Civil Engineers,

ASCE

Article published by American Society of Civil Engineers on different building types and their effectiveness resisting extreme heat from a building envelope perspective.

CBE Thermal Comfort Tool

2020

Tartarini Federico,

et al.

Center for the Built Environment,

CBE,

UC Berkeley,

SinBerBEST,

Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore,

BEARS

Online tool for thermal comfort calculations and visualizations SoftwareX 12, 100563 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2020.100563

Climate Change Indicators in the United States

2024

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Website providing data indicating climate change.

Climate Consultant

2021

Milne Murray

Society of Building Science Educators,

SBSE,

University of California Los Angeles,

UCLA

Climate Consultant is a software tool for helping architects, builders, contractor, homeowners, and students to understand their local climate.

Climate Safe Housing - Strategies for Multifamily Building Resilience

2023

Enterprise Community Partners

ECP

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

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.

Comparative Evaluation of the Impact of Roofing Systems on Residential Cooling Energy Demand in Florida

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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

Construction & Design Considerations in Warmer Climates

2022

Zero Energy Project

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

Cool Colored Materials for Roofs

2004

Akbari Hashem,

et al.

California Energy Commission,

CEC,

Public Interest Energy Research Program,

PIER,

Laboratory Directed Research and Development,

LDRD,

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Study describing efforts and outcomes in developing color-pigmented roofing products with coatings to increase solar reflectance.

Cool Neighborhoods: The Measurement of Small Scale Heat Islands

2000

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Vieira Robin K

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy,

ECEEE

Paper describing the effects of tree canopies on residential climates indicating tree cover to be beneficial to climate conditions

Cool Roofs

2023

ENERGY STAR

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA,

ENERGY STAR

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

Cool Roofs

2022

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Webpage from U.S. Department of Energy describing 'cool roofs' and their usage for passive home cooling.

Cool Roofs Help Reduce Energy Costs

2023

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA

Web page providing information on the types of cool roofs and their benefits to consumers.

Cool Solutions: The Whole House Fan

2018

Mott-Smith John

City of Davis,

State of California

Article describing the use of whole-house fans to provide cooling in the region surrounding Sacramento, CA.

Cool Surfaces Savings Explorer

2018

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

LBNL

Tool developed by LBNL to calculate potential savings from increasing wall and roof solar reflectance.

Cooling Related Performance of Finished and Unfinished Metal Roofing Systems

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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.

Cooling with a Whole-House Fan

2022

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

DOE Energy Saver webpage summarizing the use of whole-house fans for cooling.

Cooling with Ventilation

1986

Chandra Subrato,

Houston Michael M,

Fairey Philip W

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Report providing recommendations to builders regarding how to reduce cooling loads, use air-circulation fans, natural ventilation, window and building design for natural ventilation, and whole-house fans.

Cost, Design, and Performance of Solar Hot Water in Cold-Climate Homes

2006

Aldrich Robb,

Vijayakumar Gayathri

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Report describing the monitored long-term performance of two solar domestic water heating systems in northern climates.

CRRC - Cool Roof Rating Council

2023

Cool Roof Rating Council

CRRC

Website providing information about the Cool Roof Rating Council including programs, membership, and resources for the construction industry.

Designing Energy Efficient New Homes for a Warm Climate

2019

EXtension Home Energy - Cooperative Extension

Article from The Home Energy Community of Practice on designing energy efficient homes in hot climate zones, including home orientation, window location, and roof design considerations.

Designing Houses That Keep Their Cool

2013

Wilson Alex

Green Building Advisor

Article from Green Building Advisor on strategies to take when building homes to reduce the need for air conditioning, including insulation, windows, site selection, and roofing.

Directory of WaterSense Labeled Products

2022

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Website providing lists of WaterSense-qualified products for home plumbing and irrigation equipment that meet the requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense program.

DOE Steep Slope Calculator

2005

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

ORNL,

DOE

Simple web-based tool allowing homeowners to calculate the potential savings from installing a cool roof.