Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 67 results:

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Marine Climate, Volume 11

2010

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report providing builders in marine climates with guidance for building homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Mixed-Humid Climate, Volume 16

2011

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing measures that builders in mixed-humid climates can use to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

A Business Case for Home Performance Contracting

2012

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Report discussing opportunities and trends in the U.S. home performance contracting industry, along with market drivers such as consumer demand; federal, state, and local programs; and utility and non-governmental programs.

Accelerating the Adoption of the Solid Panel Structural System

2024

Huelman Patrick H,

et al.

University of Minnesota,

UMN,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report examining the structural properties and applications of an innovative studless building system, detailing its testing regime and providing an engineering guide for architects and engineers.

Adding Insulation when Re-Siding

2023

Gilbride Theresa L

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Fact sheet poster describing how to add exterior, continuous, rigid insulation to the exterior walls when replacing siding on an existing home.

Advanced Extended Plate and Beam Wall System in a Cold-Climate House

2016

Wiehagen Joseph,

Kochkin Vladimir,

Mallay David

Home Innovation Research Labs,

HIRL,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report on the design and evaluation of extended plate and beam.

Advanced Extended Plate and Beam Wall System in a Cold-Climate House, Mount Joy Pennsylvania

2015

U.S. Department of Energy

Zero Energy Project,

DOE

Case study on the design and evaluation of extended plate and beam, located in Mount Joy Pennsylvania.

Builders Challenge Quality Criteria Support Document

2010

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document providing guidance to U.S. home builders who want to accept the challenge.

Building America Best Practices Series - 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Cold and Very Cold Climates, Volume 12

2011

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Guide describing measures that builders in the cold and very cold climates can take to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Building America House Simulation Protocols - Revised October 2010

2010

Hendron Robert,

Engebrecht Cheryn

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report summarizing the guidelines for developing and reporting analytical results in a consistent and meaningful manner for all home energy uses.

Building America Performance Analysis Procedures, Revision 1

2004

Hendron Robert,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Partnership for Resource Conservation,

Mountain Energy Partnership,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document illustrating some analysis concepts that are proven to be effective and reliable in analyzing the transient energy usage of advanced energy systems as well as of entire houses.

Building Science Corporation (BSC) Building America Quality Control Checklist, GM-0802

2008

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Document with the Quality Control Checklist developed as both a guide to assist in the transition to high performance home building, and as a simplified tool to be used as part of any builder's on-site quality control procedures.

Byggmeister Test Home: Analysis and Initial Results of Cold Climate Wood-Framed Home Retrofit

2013

Gates Cathy

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing a deep energy retrofit project for a two-family wood framed home located in Belmont, Massachusetts.

Challenges and Opportunities To Achieve 50% Energy Savings in Homes: National Laboratory White Papers

2011

Bianchi Marcus V A

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report summarizing the key opportunities, gaps, and barriers identified by the national laboratory white papers discussing long-term 50% energy reduction goals.

Cladding Attachment Solutions for Exterior Insulated Commercial Walls, RDH Technical Bulletin No. 011

2015

Finch Graham,

Higgins James

RDH

Article describing correct ways to attach rigid insulation to the exterior of commercial and residential buildings.

Comparison of Home Retrofit Programs in Wisconsin

2013

Cunningham Kerrie,

Hannigan Eileen

University of Minnesota,

UMN,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Research study comparing various retrofit models in Wisconsin to evaluate performance in terms of savings per home and program cost per home to assess the relative cost effectiveness of each program design.

Comparison of the ENERGYGAUGE USA and BEopt Building Energy Simulation Programs

2009

Parker Danny S,

Cummings Jamie E

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Two hourly energy simulation software, BEopt and Energy Gauge USA, were compared to ensure accuracy and evaluate agreement on the impact of various energy efficiency improvements.

Continuous Rigid Insulation Sheathing/Siding

2013

National Association of Home Builders Research Center,

et al.

NAHB Research Center,

DOE,

GBA,

ORNL,

EPA

Document presenting step-by-step process for installing rigid insulating sheathing over wood studs or house wrap.

Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Guidance document on deep energy retrofits.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Design and Construction Process

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Design and Construction Process chapter provides detailed guidance for each process phase: pre-planning, planning, construction, test-out and post-occupancy.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Lessons learned

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Lessons Learned chapter focuses on successful deep energy retrofit projects throughout the U.S.

Deep in Data: Empirical Data Based Software Accuracy Testing Using the Building America Field Data Repository

2013

Neymark Joel,

Roberts David

J. Neymark & Associates,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report describing the progress toward and issues related to developing a usable, standardized, empirical data-based software accuracy test suite.

Electric Energy Management in the Smart Home: Perspectives on Enabling Technologies and Consumer Behavior

2013

Zipperer Adam,

et al.

Colorado State University,

CSU,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

University of Technology of Belfort-Montbeliard,

UTBM,

Fort Collins Utilities

Journal article presenting a discussion of the state-of-the- art in electricity management in smart homes, the various enabling technologies that will accelerate this concept, and topics around consumer behavior with respect to energy usage.

Energy Performance Techniques and Technologies: Preserving Historic Homes, Volume 13

2011

Britt Michelle,

et al.

Kaufman Heritage Conservation,

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document providing a resource to help contractors renovate historic houses, while addressing issues such as building durability, indoor air quality, and occupant health, safety, and comfort.

Expert Meeting Report: Key Innovations for Adding Energy Efficiency to Maintenance Projects

2012

Wiehagen Joseph,

Wood Amber

NAHB Research Center,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Expert meeting describing meeting details for key innovations for adding energy efficiency upgrades to maintenance projects.

Exploring Cost-Effective High Performance Residential Retrofits for Affordable Housing in the Hot Humid Climate

2010

McIlvaine Janet,

et al.

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Report presenting the process of a residential retrofit project for houses in the states of Florida and Alabama, including findings at the time of reporting and highlights of the first home to meet the target HERS Index of 70.

Extended Plate and Beam Wall System: Concept Investigation and Initial Evaluation

2015

Wiehagen Joseph,

Kochkin Vladimir

Partnership for Home Innovation,

PHI,

Home Innovation Research Labs,

HIRL

Report on high-R wall design called extended plate and beam that uses foam sheathing insulation with wall framing.

Field Assessment of Energy Audit Tools for Retrofit Programs

2013

Bohac Dave,

et al.

NorthernSTAR,

University of Minnesota,

UMN

Report describing a project focused on the use of home energy ratings as a tool to promote energy retrofits in existing homes.

Fort Benning Indianhead Townhome Renovations

2012

Stephenson R,

et al.

NAHB Research Center,

Home Innovation Research Labs,

HIRL,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Southface Energy Institute,

SEI

Report outlining the energy upgrade package implemented in Ft. Benning, GA, Indianhead Townhomes project and the findings of the Southface Energy Institute's post-renovation analysis.

Greenbelt Homes Pilot Energy Efficiency Programs Phase 1 Summary: Existing Conditions and Baseline Energy Use

2013

Wiehagen Joseph,

Del Bianco Marie,

Wood Amber

NAHB Research Center,

Home Innovation Research Labs,

HIRL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report detailing field walk-through evaluations, energy simulations for projected savings with exterior insulation upgrades, building envelope energy improvement cost estimates, and installation and maintenance of monitoring equipment and data.

Healthy and Affordable Housing: Practical Recommendations for Building, Renovating and Maintaining Housing

2001

Brennan Terry,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Document providing guidance about building healthy homes using building science principles.

Home Energy Displays: Consumer Adoption and Response

2012

LaMarche Janelle,

et al.

Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems,

Fraunhofer CSE,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Research study investigating the factors influencing consumer adoption of HEDs and evaluating the resulting electricity consumption.

Impact Resistance of Advanced Framed Wall Systems with Insulating Sheathing as the Primary Sheathing, RR-0603

2009

Baker Peter,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Research study describing the impact resistance performance of advanced framed wall systems with insulating sheathing as the primary sheathing from wind blown debris.

Low-Cost Evaluation of Energy Savings at the Community Scale, Fresno California

2012

Burdick Arlan,

Rapport Ari,

Poerschke Andrew

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

Wathen Castanos Hybrid Homes,

WCHH,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report using a field test plan to evaluate the success of implementing energy efficiency upgrades at the community scale incorporating whole-house systems integrated measures package (SIMP).

Measure Guideline: Guidance on Taped Insulating Sheathing Drainage Planes

2014

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Case study about how to properly tape insulating sheathing drainage planes.

Method for Determining Optimal Residential Energy Efficiency Packages

2011

Polly Benjamin,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report describing an analysis method for determining optimal residential energy efficiency retrofit packages and applies the analysis method to a 1960s-era home in eight U.S. cities.

Moisture Control for Residential Buildings

2020

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

Multi-Year Advanced Residential Building Systems Research - Revisions to Quality Management Products

2008

Home Innovation Research Labs

HIRL

Report discussing development of scopes of work and quality management for builders in mixed-humid climates.

National Residential Efficiency Measures Database Aimed at Reducing Risk for Residential Retrofit Industry

2012

Roberts David

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Information sheet about the National Residential Efficiency Measures Database, a public database that characterizes the performance and costs of common residential energy efficiency measures.

Needs of Non Energy-Focused Contractors

2012

Liaukus Christine

Building America Retrofit Alliance,

BARA,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report investigating what motivates remodelers to become energy-focused and what technical knowledge that need to be energy-focused.

Pilot Evaluation of Energy Savings from Residential Energy Demand Feedback Devices

2008

Parker Danny S,

Hoak David,

Cummings Jamie E

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Report briefly reviewing past research on the effects of occupant behavior on residential energy use and then covering a two year pilot evaluation of a low cost residential energy feedback system installed in twenty case study homes in Florida.

Practices and Processes of Leading High Performance Home Builders in the Upper Midwest

2012

VonThoma Ed,

Ojczyk Cindy

NorthernSTAR,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

University of Minnesota,

UMN

Research study identifying best practices of three successful high performance, custom home builders in the upper Midwest.

Quality Assurance Roadmap for High Performance Residential Buildings, GM-0801

2008

Lstiburek Joseph W,

Pettit Betsy,

Eng P

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Document outlining the approach to quality assurance in the construction process as recommended by Building Science Corporation for new residential construction.

Quality Assurance Strategy for Existing Homes: Final Quality Management Primer for High Performing Homes

2012

Taggart Jim,

Sikora Jeannie,

Wood Amber

NAHB Research Center,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Report designed to help a builder understand quality management and its role in transitioning from conventional to HPH building and remodeling.

Residential Best Practices Criteria, Info-001

2013

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Document containing some of the basic characteristics for energy performance, durability, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality that should be met in all high performance homes.

Retrofit Audits and Cost Estimates: A Look at Quality and Consistency

2012

Eisenberg Liz,

Shapiro Carl,

Fleischer Wendy

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report describing research efforts focused on examining the audit reports for quality, comprehensiveness, and consistency.

Retrofitting America: A 1970s Home Energy Efficiency Analysis

2010

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

Steven Winter Associates

CARB,

SWA

Report about a tool developed to enable users to compare a typical 1970s ranch home against an IECC 2009 code-compliant home of the same configuration and against the 70s base case plus retrofits.

ReVision Home: On-Site Renewable Energy

2010

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

Steven Winter Associates

CARB,

SWA

Information sheet describing solar PV upgrade for an existing homes.

ReVision Home: Plumbing Fixtures

2010

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

Steven Winter Associates

CARB,

SWA

Information sheet describing tankless hot water heating systems in existing homes.

ReVision Home: Solar Hot Water

2010

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

Steven Winter Associates

CARB,

SWA

Information sheet describing solar hot water systems in existing homes.