Library

Report detailing natural ventilation and passive airflow systems.

PDF detailing the inspection and verification guidance for WaterSense labeled new homes including indoor and outdoor efficiency requirements, and homeowner and building management education.

This document covers how broken windows can allow wind and rain inside the house and even lead to roof failure.

Article describing what evaporative coolers are, how they work, different types, performance, where they are appropriate, and how to install and maintain them.

Report showing installers how to attach ducts, pipes, and associated equipment to buildings to minimize earthquake damage.

Fact sheet describing principles of insulating steam distribution and condensate return lines as an effective way to prevent energy loss.

Article discussing indoor water management.

Web page describing how to identify heat-related illness and how to prevent it.

Article from University of Arizona on keeping homes cool during extreme heat, both personal and system changes.

Paper describing vegetation impacts on cooling load for buildings.

Book detailing passive cooling methods including airflow methods, evaporative cooling, and earth cooling.

News article describing the state of the residential battery storage market.

Study investigating measured cooling energy savings in homes across the U.S. from the installation of roofing with higher solar reflectance.

Study investigating measured cooling energy savings from the installation of wall finishes with higher solar reflectance.

Paper describing energy savings in space cooling from shading condenser units.

Technical article presenting the results of an analysis on the effect of insect screens on window solar heat gain coefficients and U-values.

DOE Energy Saver webpage providing a brief summary of natural ventilation for houses.

Webpage presenting updated maps for annual average temperature and precipitation in the contiguous U.S.

Document describing recommended modeling rules, potential compliance credits, and eligibility criteria for residential night ventilation cooling systems for California’s Title 24 energy efficiency standards.

Newsletter providing news and information to members of the New Jersey National Guard.

Webpage describing water treatment standards as related to residential drinking water filters.

Article from Smarter Homes NZ on home building techniques that incorporate passive cooling.

Book describing passive cooling techniques from a technical and academic perspective.

This study evaluated 11 measures for passive cooling using four heat resilience metrics with and without grid power in Fresno CA and found the two most effective measures were installing solar-control window films and adding roof insulation; natural ventilation also helped reduce overheating in...

Website providing guidance on passive heating, cooling, and lighting methods.

Article from Williams College on the key elements of passive solar design for homes.

Paper describing a study on savings in peak power and cooling energy for homes with shade trees.

Paper summarizing passive and low-energy cooling systems for buildings.

Brochure describing what permeable pavement is, where to install it, and how to maintain it.

Report providing information on performance of mortars and concrete containing PCMs.

Blog article describing considerations for how to use trees for shading to reduce cooling energy demand.

City of Plymouth webpage providing information on the Plymouth Community Center Project.

Large scale simulation study investigating the effects of cool roofs and walls on buildings of various vintages across the U.S., with special attention given to California.

Database describing FEMA preparedness webinars including natural hazard preparedness.

Table calculating friction losses of PVC pipe fittings.

Table calculating friction losses for PVC pipe by length.

Fact sheet describing analysis of potential heating and cooling savings from radiant barriers in attics.

Searchable database of over 3,000 roofing products that have undergone solar reflectance and thermal emittance testing.

Searchable database of wall cladding and coating products that have undergone solar reflectance and thermal emittance testing.

Document with important building science considerations, designed for members of the residential construction and remodeling industries, as well as owners and managers who work in affordable housing.

Field manual describing measures to reduce potential hazards and damages caused by and to nonstructural components of a building such as HVAC, appliances, lighting, windows, and furniture during an earthquake.

Guidance document describing urban heat islands, what they are, how they form, why we care, and including some strategies to reduce them.

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...

Website with information and research about residential hot water distribution systems.

This project analyzed combined condensing water heaters or boilers and hydronic air coils to provide high efficiency domestic hot water (DHW) and forced air space heating. Called "combi" systems, they provided similar space and water heating performance less expensively than installing two...

Article from the Institute of Biological Engineering describing reverse osmosis water softeners.

Webpage discussing the characteristics of sunlight and how cool roofs work to reduce solar heat gain.

Factsheet describing air-sealing.

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.

Technical report providing site selection guidance for installation of small wind turbines.