Library

Document identifying differences between the requirements for construction documents for high performance housing and the documents that are typically produced for conventional housing.

Report intending to provide useful information as the DOE/BA develops and implements comprehensive communications and outreach strategies for demonstration homes.

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.

Research study providing a comparison of selected retrofit activity typically done, versus that same retrofit activity approached from an integrated high performance remodeling and quality management perspective.

Research study determining how well high performance envelope and innovative cooling system interact to cost effectively reduce cooling energy use in this hot-dry climate.

Research study making several recommendations to whole-home program designers and implementers for improving the cost effectiveness and reach of whole-home programs.

Presentation on sustainable development including water conservation, passive solar, daylighting, natural ventilation, and land use.

Presentation by the Washington University in St. Louis Office of Sustainability on saving energy.

Report evaluating a test home built in Atlanta, GA in the mixed-humid climate zone. The report outlines the features of the house, discusses the implementation of the energy efficient design, and presents the results of short-term characterization testing.

Presentation on urban land use and sustainable building design.

This guide and workbook offers practitioners with the knowledge to properly implement the measurement and documentation procedures required in the ANSI/ACCA 5.

Report using data from various sources to characterize the impact on human health and property damage from indoor environmental quality and other hazards.

Presentation describing how to make a Corsi-Rosenthal Box for air cleaning.

Article describing a field study that test ventilation performance in nine homes and found current ventilation was inadequate to remove PM2.5 and CO2 levels; however, a directly exhausting range hood can reduce peak PM2.5 concentrations by 75% or more.

Paper that illustrates a performance check between the thermal performance of a Massive Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) wall system mocked up and Whole Building Performance criteria such as total space heating and cooling loads (thermal comfort).

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.

Article about installing balanced ventilation systems.

Report presenting results from whole-house monitoring efforts in hope that they may be useful for others moving towards zero energy homes.

Website providing consumer tips for using natural gas safely in the home, including guidance on cooking, fireplaces, ventilation, pilot lights, piping, etc.

Case study about affordable housing in a mixed, humid climate.

BSD-102 report providing guidance about whether to construct a vented or unvented attic based on hygro-thermal zone.

Article describing the impact of increasingly stringent ventilation standards on multifamily buildings, highlighting the inefficiencies and challenges of exhaust-only ventilation in tightly sealed enclosures, the complications of achieving balanced ventilation, and the unintended consequences of...

This study uses a computer simulation approach to examine the energy and indoor air quality implications of passive and hybrid ventilation systems.

Document presenting analysis results, focusing on relative humidity (RH) excursions, which are defined as unique events of indoor RH above a threshold.

Preliminary results of two monitored lab homes constructed to represent the thermal characteristics of typical existing Florida homes are presented.

Building science report describing issues with vented attics in hot-humid climates and how sealed attic construction may be a solution.

A review on the knowledge about ventilated wall claddings from field performance and hydrothermal modeling.

Report describing the formation of icicles and ice dams along poorly ventilated roofs and how to mitigate ventilation issues with insulation and vents.

Information sheet about proper ventilation and air sealing.

Standard that defines the roles of and minimum requirements for mechanical and natural ventilation systems and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings. This version of the standard was published in the year 2010, and is available for...

Standard that defines the roles of and minimum requirements for mechanical and natural ventilation systems and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings. This version of the standard was published in the year 2013, and is available for...

This report examines indoor air quality in post-2013 homes across various climates, focusing on contaminant levels, ventilation equipment usage, and control measure impact, with regional data from Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

ENERGY STAR overview on certified ventilation fans.

Standard that provides procedures and methods for meeting minimum ventilation and indoor air quality requirements to engineers, design professionals, owners, and jurisdictional authorities where model codes have been adopted. This is the current version of the standard, which was published in the...

Report describing the use of attic ventilation to control moisture in cathedral roofs and avoid the formation of ice dams.

Report describing a field study of 31 homes to test envelope and duct leakage and fan flowrates, and to determine ventilation operation characteristics.

Fact sheet describing how weatherstripping can be an easy and cost-effective way to save money on energy costs and improve comfort by reducing drafts.

Webpage describing how to flashing installation

An article describing a way to protect drain and ventilation holes in brick veneer siding against pests. Selecting a fine screen mesh opening (1/55-inch or 0.5-mm) is important to guard against small insects such as subterranean termites.

Webinar presenting best practices in HVAC design and commissioning

EPA coronavirus Q&A discussing the role of HVAC filters in dealing with COVID-19.

Information sheet discussing the differences between homeowner energy consumption trends in highly efficient homes.

Brochure about how to install and use a whole-house fan.

Report summarizing results from a case study about whole-house mechanical ventilation systems in Chicago.

Article explaining the importance of expansion tank knowledge.

Article describing the impacts of wildfire smoke on indoor air quality and some ways ASHRAE is responding.

Article describing sustainable community development of near zero energy homes in Greenfield, Massachusetts.

Report and case study describing a retrofit project for single family homes in the Pacific Northwest.