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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 1 - 34 of 34

Scaling Up to Zero Energy Ready - and Down to 530 ft2

Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Organization(s)
NREL
Publication Date
Research report detailing Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) partnership with Manatee County Habitat for Humanity to design a compact, Zero Energy Ready Home in Florida, tackling challenges like equipment sizing and indoor air quality, offering insights for projects surpassing building code...

Laboratory Testing of Heat Pump Water Heater Performance: Impact of Airflow and Space Configurations

Author(s)
Larson Ben,
Larson Sam,
Gantley Maya
Organization(s)
Pacific Gas and Electric Company,
PG&E,
Energy Transition Coordinating Council,
ETCC
Publication Date
Report describing research conducted to support California’s Title 24, Part 6 Building Energy Efficiency Standards by analyzing the impact of installation location and ventilation on heat pump water heater (HPWH) performance, emphasizing the need for proper installation to maximize efficiency...

Manufactured Home Factory Duct Leakage Testing

Author(s)
Slipstream
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Factsheet describing how to test the duct leakage of a manufactured home in the manufactured home factory.

Heat Pump Water Heaters in Small Spaces Lab Testing: “The Amazing Shrinking Room”

Author(s)
Larson Sam,
Larson Ben
Organization(s)
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
NEEA,
Cascade Engineering Services,
Larson Energy Research
Publication Date
Report describing a laboratory assessment that provides insights into space requirements and venting strategies for heat pump water heaters (HPWH) to enhance retrofit installations and provide actionable guidance for manufacturers, designers, engineers, installers, and owners.

Affordable Solid Panel "Perfect Wall" System

Author(s)
Schirber Tom,
Jacobson Rolf,
Mosiman Garrett,
Handeen Daniel,
Huelman Patrick H
Organization(s)
University of Minnesota,
UMN,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
NothernSTAR
Publication Date
Technical report describing the SPS (Structural Panel System), an innovative implementation of the "perfect wall" concept, situating environmental control layers on the exterior side of structural components for improved constructability, cost-effectiveness, and performance, validated through the...

Standard Test Method for Steady-State Thermal Transmission Properties by Means of the Heat Flow Meter Apparatus, ASTM C518-21

Author(s)
American Society for Testing and Materials,
ASTM International
Organization(s)
ASTM
Publication Date
Test method providing a rapid means of determining the steady-state thermal transmission properties of thermal insulations and other materials with a high level of accuracy when the apparatus has been calibrated appropriately. This version of the standard was published in the year 2021 and is...

Building Materials Listing

Author(s)
Cal Fire Office of the State Fire Marshal
Organization(s)
CAL FIRE OSFM
Publication Date
California Office of the State Fire Marshal's homepage for the Building Materials Listing Program, providing builders, contractors, architects, and others with access to a database of fire alarm systems and fire-resistant construction materials including roof coverings, wall, ceiling, and floor...

Building Materials Listings - Search Listing Services

Author(s)
Cal Fire Office of the State Fire Marshal
Organization(s)
Cal Fire,
CAL FIRE OSFM
Publication Date
California Office of the State Fire Marshal's compiled and searchable list of different building materials and their test results for fire resistance.

Testing and Certification

Author(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center
Organization(s)
FSEC
Publication Date
FSEC certification and testing page for solar systems.

Standard Test Method for Thermal Performance of Building Materials and Envelope Assemblies by Means of a Hot Box Apparatus, ASTM C1363 - 24

Author(s)
American Society for Testing and Materials,
ASTM International
Organization(s)
ASTM
Publication Date
Standard that describes the principles for the design of a hot box apparatus and the minimum requirements for the determination of steady state thermal performance of building assemblies when exposed to controlled laboratory conditions. The current version of the standard was published in 2019, and...

Standard for Testing Airtightness of Building, Dwelling Unit, and Sleeping Unit Enclosures; Airtightness of Heating and Cooling Air Distribution Systems; and Airflow of Mechanical Ventilation Systems, ANSI/RESNET/ICC 380-2019

Author(s)
Residential Energy Services Network,
American National Standards Institute,
International Code Council
Organization(s)
RESNET,
ANSI,
ICC
Publication Date
Standard describing methods for testing the airtightness of buildings and HVAC equipment.

Measured Performance of Heat Pump Clothes Dryers

Author(s)
Martin Eric,
Sutherland Karen,
Parker Danny S
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Repor ourlining testing results from a 53 home monitored sample, long-term energy use of electric resistance clothes dryers.

Geospatial Data Science

Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
NREL,
DOE
Publication Date
Website with prepopulated information about the United States renewable resources.

Measured Retrofit Savings from Efficient Lighting and Smart Power Strips

Author(s)
Sutherland Karen,
Chasar Dave,
Hoak David,
Parker Danny S
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Report describing a lighting and smart power strip retrofit evaluation that was conducted on 56 all-electric, existing Florida homes to see how lighting and miscellaneous electric loads might be reduced.

Method of Test for Determining the Design and Seasonal Efficiencies of Residential Thermal Distribution Systems, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 152-2014

Author(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
American National Standards Institute
Organization(s)
ASHRAE,
ANSI
Publication Date
Standard that prescribes a testing method to determine the efficiency of space heating and/or cooling thermal distribution systems under seasonal and design conditions. This version of the standard was published in the year 2014, and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. The...

A Field Study of Ventilation System Effectiveness in Low Air Leakage Residences

Author(s)
Hales David,
Eklund Ken,
Kunkle Rick,
Lubliner Michael,
Banks Adria
Organization(s)
Washington State University Extension Energy Program,
WSU Extension Energy Program,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
NEEA
Publication Date
Report describing the results of a field study of five different ventilation system types in 29 homes in the Pacific Northwest.

Evaluation of Automated Model Calibration Techniques for Residential Building Energy Simulation

Author(s)
Robertson Joseph,
Collis Jon,
Polly Benjamin
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Colorado School of Mines
Publication Date
Research study simulation adapting and applies the general framework described in Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes for self-testing residential building energy model calibration methods.

Performance of Four Near Zero Energy Homes: Lessons Learned

Author(s)
Colon Carlos J,
Parker Danny S,
Martin Eric,
Sherwin John S
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Paper examining the monitored performance of four newly constructed near zero energy homes in Florida.

Residential Ground Source Heat Pump Systems Utilizing Foundation Heat Exchangers

Author(s)
Spitler Jeffrey D,
Xing Lu,
Cullin James R,
Fisher Daniel E,
Shonder John,
Im Piljae
Organization(s)
Oklahoma State University,
OSU,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL
Publication Date
Paper covering a parametric study of foundation heat exchanger-based ground source heat pump systems for several house configurations in a range of European locations, with an emphasis on determining feasible combinations.

Concrete Floors and Moisture, 2nd Edition

Author(s)
Kanare Howard M
Organization(s)
Portland Cement Association
Publication Date
Document discussing moisture considerations and testing techniques for concrete floors.

HVAC System Pressure Relief

Author(s)
Raymer Paul H,
Moyer Neil
Organization(s)
Tamarack Technologies,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Correcting pressure imbalances in your HVAC system can result in a healthier, more efficient home.

High Hats, Swiss Cheese, and Fluorescent Lighting?

Author(s)
McCullough Jeff J,
Gordon Kelly L
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Report discussing the potential energy savings of new high-efficiency downlights, and the results of product testing to date.

Energy Benefits of Application of Massive Walls in Residential Buildings

Author(s)
Kosny Jan,
Christian Jeffrey E,
Petrie Thomas W,
Childs Phillip W,
Gawin D,
Desjarlais Andre O
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
Technical University of Lodz,
TUL
Publication Date
Presentation about results from an insulating concrete form energy efficiency study in Knoxville, TN.

Window Condensation in Historic Buildings that Have Been Adapted for New Uses

Author(s)
Brown William C
Organization(s)
National Research Council Canada,
NRC
Publication Date
Research study describing an evaluation of selected windows undertaken by IRC researchers at Ottawa’s Laurier House (now being used as a museum) to determine their effectiveness in controlling condensation.

Thermal Performance and Wall Ratings

Author(s)
Christian Jeffrey E,
Kosny Jan
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL
Publication Date
Report proposing a procedure for estimating the whole opaque wall R-value (whole-wall R-value), independent of system type and construction materials.