Library | Building America Solution Center

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 1 - 19 of 19

Attic or Roof? An Evaluation of Two Advanced Weatherization Packages, BA-1205

Author(s)

Neuhauser

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

BSC

Publication Date

June, 2012

Report about a project that examines implementation of advanced retrofit measures in the context of a large-scale weatherization program and the archetypal Chicago, Illinois, brick bungalow.

Attics & Roofs for Northern Residential Construction

Author(s)

Seifert

Organization(s)

University of Alaska

Publication Date

January, 2003

Document describing approaches to energy efficiency and moisture considerations for roofs in northern climates.

Cost Analysis of Roof-Only Air Sealing and Insulation Strategies on 1 1/2-Story Homes in Cold Climates

Author(s)

Ojczyk

Organization(s)

NorthernSTAR,

University of Minnesota,

NSTAR

Publication Date

November, 2014

Report exploring alternative methods to find long-term solutions to energy loss in 1 ½-story homes to save energy, improve comfort, prevent frost buildup on the underside of the roof deck, and reduce the risk of ice dam formation/reformation.

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

Author(s)

Aldrich Robb,

Vijayakumar Gayathri

Organization(s)

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Publication Date

May, 2006

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

Energy Savings From System Efficiency Improvements in Iowa's HVAC SAVE Program

Author(s)

Yee S,

Baker J,

Brand Larry,

Wells J

Organization(s)

Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,

PARR,

Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

Publication Date

August, 2013

Report using pre- and post-system upgrade data to analyze the energy savings associated with Iowa's HVAC SAVE program for space heating.

Expert Meeting Report: Achieving the Best Installed Performance from High-Efficiency Residential Gas Furnaces

Author(s)

Brand Larry

Organization(s)

Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,

PARR,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Gas Technology Institute,

GTI Energy

Publication Date

March, 2012

Expert meeting identifying installation practices that provide the best installed efficiency for residential gas furnaces, explain how AFUE and field efficiency can differ, and investigate the impact of installation practices on the efficiency and long-term durability of the furnace.

External Insulation of Masonry Walls and Wood Framed Walls

Author(s)

Baker Peter

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Publication Date

January, 2013

Research study developing baseline engineering analysis to support the installation of thick layers of exterior insulation (2 in. to 8 in.) on existing masonry walls and wood framed walls.

Field Performance of Heat Pump Water Heaters in the Northeast

Author(s)

Shapiro Carl,

Puttagunta Srikanth

Organization(s)

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Publication Date

August, 2013

Research study evaluating 14 heat pump water heaters, attempting to provide publically available field data on new HPWHs by monitoring the performance of three recently released products .

Ground Source Heat Pump Sub-Slab Heat Exchange Loop Performance in a Cold Climate

Author(s)

Mittereder Nick,

Poerschke Andrew

Organization(s)

IBACOS

Publication Date

November, 2013

Report presenting a cold climate project examining and alternative approach to ground source heat pump ground loop design.

Hydronic Heating Retrofits for Low-Rise Multifamily Buildings:Phase 1: Boiler Control Replacement and Monitoring

Author(s)

Dentz,

Henderson

Organization(s)

ARIES,

Levy Partnership

Publication Date

April, 2012

Report evaluating the relative effectiveness of various control and distribution strategies to improve hydronic space heating performance in existing low-rise multifamily buildings

Keeping The Heat In - Chapter 6: Basement insulation

Author(s)

Natural Resources Canada

Organization(s)

Natural Resources Canada

Publication Date

December, 2016

Information sheet providing links and resources for insulating basements in cold climates.

Long-Term Monitoring of Mini-Split Ductless Heat Pumps in the Northeast

Author(s)

Ueno,

Loomis

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation

Report on the long-term performance of mini-split heat pumps.

Measure Guideline: Ventilation Cooling

Author(s)

Springer David,

Dakin Bill,

German Alea

Organization(s)

Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,

ARBI,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Davis Energy Group

Publication Date

April, 2012

Guideline that provides information on properly applying, designing, and installing mechanical ventilation cooling systems for homes located in located in hot-dry and cold-dry climates, as well as a means of understanding the benefits, costs, and tradeoffs of these systems.

Measured Performance of a Low Temperature Air Source Heat Pump

Author(s)

Johnson

Organization(s)

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Publication Date

September, 2013

Research study outlining results of monitoring a low temperature heat pump.

Moisture Durability with Vapor-Permeable Insulating Sheathing

Author(s)

Lepage,

Lstiburek

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation

Publication Date

September, 2013

Report about exterior sheathing insulation and inward driven moisture issues.

Preventing Ice Dams

Author(s)

Paul Fisette

Organization(s)

UMass Amherst Department of Environmental Conservation

Publication Date

January, 2011

Article describing how ice dams form on residential roofs, how they damage homes, and solutions to prevent future dams.

Proven Performance of Seven Cold Climate Deep Retrofit Homes

Author(s)

Osser,

Neuhauser,

Ueno

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Publication Date

June, 2012

Report about seven pilot homes and development of guidelines for deep energy retrofits in cold climates.

Steam System Balancing and Tuning for Multifamily Residential Buildings in Chicagoland - Second Year of Data Collection

Author(s)

Choi Jayne,

Ludwig Peter,

Brand Larry

Organization(s)

Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,

PARR

Publication Date

August, 2013

Report about results of 10 test buildings in Chicago, studied to identify best practices for methodology, typical costs, and energy savings associated with steam system balancing.

Technology Solutions Case Study: Project Overcoat: Airtightness Strategies and Impacts for 1 1/2-Story Homes, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Author(s)

University of Minnesota

Organization(s)

NorthernSTAR,

NSTAR

Publication Date

November, 2014

Case study describing the External Thermal and Moisture Management System developed by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership for retrofitting roofs with rigid foam over the roof deck, especially on one and a half-story homes.