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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 51 - 100 of 106

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
A website explaining the measurement of light bulbs, measurable in lumens, & brightness levels that ENERGY STAR products produce.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
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.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
A fact sheet providing information on ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs & how to find the right one to fit your lighting fixture.
Author(s)
U.S Green Building Council
Organization(s)
USGBC
Publication Date
Description
Website explaining the LEED v4.1 program and providing a portal for those who want to investigate or start a LEED project.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
ENERGY STAR lightbulb criteria.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
A website explaining why homeowners should install ENERGY STAR certified lightbulbs, which helps to save homeowners on utility bills and protect the environment.
Author(s)
Minnesota Power
Organization(s)
Minnesota Power
Publication Date
Description
Website describing Minnesota Power’s New Construction Energy Efficiency program that promotes building practices and technologies that enhance new residential construction.
Author(s)
National Fenestration Rating Council
Organization(s)
NFRC
Publication Date
Description
Database from the National Fenestration Rating Council providing a directory of NFRC-certified window products searchable by manufacturer, product type, CPD number, or various NFRC label specifications.
Author(s)
National Association of Home Builders Research Center,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report detailing the proposed point structure for the prescriptive approach of the energy efficiency chapter of the NGBS update.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Author(s)
Energy Information Administration
Organization(s)
EIA
Publication Date
Description
Data tables on U.S. renewable energy consumption and general trends in the market for renewable energy.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
The RERH specifications and checklists take a builder and a project design team through the steps of assessing a home’s solar resource potential and defining the minimum structural and system components needed to support a solar energy system.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Website tool intended to guide home builders in assessing whether a new home has the proper physical orientation to support a future installation of a solar energy system.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
A fact sheet educating homeowners on the importance of residential safe rooms, including their cost and how to register a safe room with local officials.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
Homepage for ENERGY STAR’s windows, skylights, and doors program providing information for consumers and links to product directories.
Author(s)
U.S. Resiliency Council
Organization(s)
USRC
Publication Date
Description
Website describing the USRC, which "brings an unparalleled level of capability to the mission of improving community resilience in the built environment."
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Resource to help builders better understand the WaterSense requirements for labeled homes and assist them in meeting the criteria so they can receive the label for their new construction.
Author(s)
Puttagunta Srikanth,
Vijayakumar Gayathri,
Shapiro Carl,
Zoeller William
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report about a deep energy retrofit Cool Energy House.
Author(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
Steven Winter Associates
Organization(s)
CARB,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet describing solar PV upgrade for an existing homes.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
The RERH specifications and checklists take a builder and a project design team through the steps of assessing a home’s solar resource potential and defining the minimum structural and system components needed to support a solar energy system.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Specifications to assist builders in designing and constructing homes equipped with a set of features that make the installation of solar energy systems after the completion of the home’s construction easier and less expensive.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
ENERGY STAR webpage describing the benefits of storm windows and a link to a product list.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
Webpage providing an ENERGY STAR climate zone map and criteria for ENERGY STAR storm windows per climate zone.
Author(s)
Prahl Duncan
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Document serving as a starting point that features initial tools and resources for teams to start collaborating to continually improve the energy efficiency and durability of new houses.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Resource manual for builders, designers, architects, plumbers, and others interested in the WaterSense Labeled Homes Program providing an overview of the program, explains how to meet the program requirements, gives descriptions of water-saving technologies, and provides links to further resources.
Author(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
Steven Winter Associates
Organization(s)
CARB,
NREL,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report developed for Habitat for Humanity about lessons learned from demonstration retrofit projects undertaken by Habitat for Humanity affiliates in New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania; with building systems consulting and technical assistance provided by Steven Winter Associates.
Author(s)
Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
Organization(s)
Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
Publication Date
Description
Even as the worst housing market correction in more than 60 years appeared to turn a corner in 2009, the fallout from sharply lower home prices and high unemployment continued.
Author(s)
Puttagunta Srikanth,
Aldrich Robb,
Owens Douglas,
Vijayakumar Gayathri
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report presenting results from whole-house monitoring efforts in hope that they may be useful for others moving towards zero energy homes.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Document providing an overview of the Thermal Bypass Checklist for the ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes program.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Guide describing details that serve as a visual reference for each of the line items in the Thermal Enclosure System Rater Checklist.
Author(s)
Lukachko Alex,
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report discussing Building America whole house systems research within the broad effort to reduce or eliminate the environmental impact of building and provides specific recommendations for future Building America research based on Building Science Corporations experience with several recent...
Author(s)
Mosiman Garrett,
VonThoma Ed
Organization(s)
NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership,
NorthernSTAR,
University of Minnesota,
UMN
Publication Date
Description
Report documenting the process and outcomes involved in achieving the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program certification standards while helping homebuilders in Climate Zones 5 and 6 in the Upper Midwest achieve ZERH certification.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet with the Waste Reduction Model (WARM), designed to help solid waste planners and organizations track and voluntarily report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions from several different waste management practices.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
Guide describing details that serve as a visual reference for each of the line items in the Water Management System Builder Checklist.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
Specification of criteria for lavatory faucets and faucet accessories under the U.S. EPA WaterSense Program.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
Article describing the EPA WaterSense program, process, and benefits.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
Web page providing links or specifications for homes to be labeled through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense program.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
This fact sheet outlines the requirements for WaterSense® labeled bathroom sink faucets, detailing their water-efficient features, compliance with flow rate standards, how they are tested, how they are built, and how they are verified to ensure their quality and compliance with conservation and...
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified clothes washers that highlights the integrated water factor, integrated modified energy factor, top-loading vs. front-loading specifications, efficiency code standards, local requirements, faucet types and regulations for building...
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified dishwashers that highlights water cycle specifications, efficiency code standards, water consumption level relation to criteria, the advantages of ENERGY STAR dishwashers, and the regulations for building and verifying a labeled...
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing a comprehensive set of protocols for detecting, addressing, and preventing water leaks in homes, covering pressure-loss testing, visual inspections, and specific leak tests for fixtures and appliances to ensure water efficiency, water management, and high preformance of...
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing four different efficient hot water delivery (HWD) systems, the trunk-and branch, core, whole-house manifold, and recirculation, with emphasis on system schematics, piping materials, and regulations to design and verify the systems ensuring that they meet the quality and water...
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified kitchen faucets that highlights flow rate specifications, efficiency code standards, local requirements, faucet types and regulations for building and verifying a labeled faucet to ensure it meets the quality and water management...
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the significance of managing service water pressure within recommended ranges through the installation of pressure-regulating valves (PRVs), emphasizing their role in preventing damage, conserving energy, and ensuring water-efficient operation in residential properties; There...
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
This fact sheet describes the requirements for WaterSense® labeled showerheads in, highlighting their water-saving capabilities, adherence to flow rate criteria, independent performance certification, and how they're built, verified and in alignment with the conservation and water management goals...
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
WaterSense,
EPA
Publication Date
Description
This fact sheet outlines the mandatory inclusion of WaterSense® labeled toilets in homes, highlighting their water-efficient features, certified performance, and leak prevention; The sheet describes the requirements for these features, steps to build, and steps to verify a labeled toilet to insure...
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
EPA,
WaterSense
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the implementation of water metering and submetering measures in residential properties, particularly multifamily buildings, to enhance water efficiency, usage tracking, and compliance with relevant regulations; It outlines how to build and verify water meters and submeters to...