Library

2012 edition of code establishing a baseline for existing building retrofits to reach appropriate safety levels under new construction requirements covered in other ICC codes.

Report describing practices and considerationsfor more efficient water use in pools, spas, and fountains.

A guidebook helping builders in hot-humid climates design and construct homes for energy efficiency, durability, health, safety, and comfort.

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.

Report describing testing and analysis on deep energy retrofits of existing single-family homes in the U.S.

Guide describing advanced framing, a system of construction framing techniques designed to optimize material usage and increase energy efficiency.

Report investigating implemention of advanced power strips for entertainment and home office electronics would reduce energy consumption across the residential market.

Report describing two retrofit duct sealing techniques - manually-applied sealants and injecting a spray sealant, that were implemented in several low-rise multi-unit buildings in North Carolina.

Case study about high humidity, mold and condensation on surfaces in S. Florida, and how building characteristics cause and amplify these problems.

Article about different types of weather resistant barrier.

Report outlining workflow and results of regression models on monthly and daily utility data (meter readings of electricity consumption), outlining a process for screening and gathering useful results from inverse models.

Report describing methodology to assess and improve the accuracy of whole building energy analysis for residential buildings.

Information sheet about reservoir claddings.

This report will review, and summarize the current state of understanding and research into enclosures with higher thermal resistance, so-called “High-R Enclosures.” Recommendations are provided for further research.

Document about testing software predictions of retrofit energy savings in existing homes.

Report about the fundamental concepts that must be understood at the planning or initial nspection of existing homes regarding surface and ground water management.

Article describing correct ways to eliminate water damage by incorporating a sacrificial layer to foundation walls and footings.

This is a guide for establishing smoke-free policies in public housing and multifamily properties.

Report on the stability of furring strips as a means for cladding attachment over walls with thick exterior rigid insulation.

Website discussing building foundation problems caused by settling soil in Colorado.

Report about a hybrid condensing water heater (thermal efficiency = 0.973, energy factor = 0.95) installed in an occupied home in Sacramento, California, and monitored for one year to determine the actual in situ efficiency.

Article describing research encouraging use of exterior insulation to warm interior sheathing surfaces in walls and roof assemblies to reduce the likelihood of condensation during cold weather

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.

Article describing strategies for reducing the risk of ice dam formation on roofs in winter.

Research study evaluating energy savings and cost effectiveness of installing low-emissivity (low-e) storm windows over existing windows in residential homes in all climate zones.

Website discusses differences between CFL and LED bulbs.

Report outlining the issues with using existing ducts with a new low-load HVAC system, which reduces throw at supply registers causing decreased mixing of supply and room air, leading to potential thermal comfort complaints.

Report identifying two barriers that limit the ability of builders to explore opportunities for higher levels of energy efficiency in housing: the use of duct system materials that inherently achieve airtightness and are right-sized for low-load houses, and, the ability to air seal fire separation...

This study evaluates the energy, humidity and indoor air quality implications of residential ventilation cooling in all US IECC climate zones.

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.

Research study describing experiments run in an unoccupied 1600 square foot house to evaluate the delivered performance as well as the relative performance of a SEER 21 variable capacity heat pump versus a SEER 13 heat pump.

Document presenting a simple starting point to determine the most cost-effective Energy Savings Measure Packages (ESMP) for existing homes to achieve 15% and 30% savings in 37 locations across the United States.

This publication provides a set of best practices for improving indoor air quality in conjunction with energy upgrade work in homes.

ENERGY STAR website providing information about programs, products and energy efficiency information.

Website providing consumer information about ceiling fans, including specifications and buying guidance.

EPA's market report about residential clothes dryers.

ENERGY STAR specifications for residential window, door and skylights, Version 6, effective January 1, 2015.

Information sheet briefly summarizing double stud with spray foam wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.

Research study evaluating operating conditions required to maintain uniform mixing, within high performance homes, under both heating and cooling conditions.

Report analyzing results in crawlspace retrofits in multifamily buildings.

Research study that utilizes EnergyPlus equipped with the moisture capacitance model to analyze the indoor relative humidity in three home types.

In this report, BSC seeks to research and report on the field monitoring of the performance of in-situ supplemental dehumidification systems in low-energy, high performance, homes in a hot-humid climate.

Report describing research that helps inform best practices for air-sealing multifamily buildings in the Northeast.

Article describing RESNET guidance on evaporative coolers.

Expert meeting held to discuss simplified space conditioning systems in low load homes, including the relationship between advanced thermal enclosures, space conditioning systems and comfort.

Information sheet with an analysis of mini split heat pump systems.

Report describing a simple and general way to generate House Simulation Protocol (HSP)-consistent internal sensible and latent loads in unoccupied homes.

Website with information for consumers about solar thermal systems for homes.

Detailed information about Formaldehyde including health effects and strategies to reduce exposure.

Report describing a project aimed at developing validated models and design tools for foundation heat exchangers.