Library

Webpage describing when and how to safely turn off the natural gas to the home during an emergency.

Webpage with certification requirements for excess flow and earthquake valves from California's Division of the State Architect (DSA).

Standard that applies to storage water heaters, instantaneous water heaters, and circulating water heaters including booster water heaters; the current version of this standard was published in the year 2019 and it is available for purchase along with a digital preview on the ANSI webstore page.

Brochure on specifications for solar thermal systems.

Report describing the cost-effectiveness and performance of all-electric, zero net energy multifamily buildings in California, detailing technical challenges and providing recommendations for design, construction, codes, standards, and operations to support future projects.

Report covering the fire performance of combustible cladding over combustible insulation.

Webpage describing how to guard homes and properties against wildfire, as well as what to do during a wildfire, whether sheltering in place or attempting evacuation.

Webpage providing maps and information to assess the particular hazards and risks for an area.

Informational guide describing the design, installation, and maintenance best practices and technical considerations for integrated Heat Pump Water Heaters in single-family and multifamily new construction.

Report describing the advantages and best practices for installing heat pump water heaters (HPWH), highlighting their improved energy efficiency, reliability, and critical considerations such as condensate management, proper sizing, and optimal installation location to enhance performance and...

The Heat Pump Water Heater Installation Tool helps contractors, installers, and homeowners through the decision-making process for heat pump water heater (HPWH) product selection and installation, with a focus on overcoming installation barriers.

Report describing the significant potential for energy use reductions through heat pump water heaters, which have been a crucial part of Northwest power plans for decades and have recently achieved substantial savings with new integrated models and climate specifications.

Report describing the features, benefits, and best practices for the design and installation of heat pump water heaters in new low-rise multifamily buildings, highlighting their efficiency, reliability, and contribution to decarbonization goals.

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.

Guide providing detailed selection and installation instructions for heat pump water heaters.

Provides consumers with general information on solar water heating systems and how to select a contractor.

Case study of new home construction in the hot-dry and mixed-dry climate zones.

Webpage describing federal regulation related to excess flow valves on residential natural gas lines.

Best Practices document providing an introduction to current photovoltaic and solar thermal building practices.

Report providing a collection of fact sheets describing guidance for constructing homes in wildfire zones.

Website containing educational and marketing resources for residential fire sprinklers.

Report assessing the costs of home fire sprinkler systems.

A guide that summarizes building materials and design considerations for increasing wildfire-resistivity of homes in areas that are prone to wildfires.

Wildfire mitigation guidelines from the University of California outlining how to mitigate fire risk for attached decks.

Report on a project that enhanced the HWSIM distribution system model to more accurately model pipe heat transfer.

Article describing the factors that can lead to inefficient hot water distribution systems in homes.

Guide describing how to choose energy-efficient water heaters, including heat pump models, with tips on installation, rebates, and incentives for maximizing energy savings.

ENERGY STAR webpage describing how a heat pump water heater works.

Factsheet describing defensible space and wildfire risk reduction steps that homeowners can take to make their homes safer during a wildfire.

Webpage describing how to locate and manually shut off natural gas service at the meter.

Report describing the identification of barriers and proposed practical solutions for the design, installation, and market adoption of heat pump water heaters in new low-rise multifamily housing, focusing on studio and one-bedroom units.

Wildfire guidance for homes located in the wildland urban interface, focused on site design and individual pieces of the home.

Ignition resistant residential construction and landscaping guidelines from FireSafe Montana.

Journal article presenting modeling of residential gas water heaters via dynamic simulation models to determine the effect of the pilot light on their annual energy consumption.

Article describing excess flow valves installed on gas lines to shut-off natural gas flow to a home in the event that a gas line is severed due to an earthquake, natural disaster, earthquake, etc.

Article from Samuel L. Manzello and Sayaka Suzuki on tests undertaken to find the ideal amount of board spacing to resist deck ignition during fires.

Webpage detailing how to purchase and install the correct shut-off valve for homes in California, including differences between earthquake and excess flow valves and how to install each.

Site showing flame spread ratings and definitions for common building materials.

Report describing the performance, economics, space heating impacts, and user satisfaction of heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) in the upper Midwest, based on a field study and survey of participants in the MECA HPWH incentive program.

Fact sheet describing principles of insulating steam distribution and condensate return lines as an effective way to prevent energy loss.

Report describing the objective evaluation of space conditioning interactions between heat pump water heaters and home heating systems during winter 2016-2017, revealing a smaller than anticipated impact on space conditioning loads.

This webpage provides an interactive walk-through of the installation of a heat pump water heater in a home in Massachusetts, including how-to videos of the installation, video interviews with the homeowners, installer, and utility program partners, and visual tours of the home before and after...

Report summarizing results of testing emerging combo water heating technologies under controlled laboratory operations, that differentiate the performance of the various packaged equipment configurations being offered.

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...

Website describing the wildland-urban interface code and providing links to resources.

Test results used by multiple structural insulated panel manufacturers confirming a one-hour fire rating for specific SIP assemblies.

Guide for homeowners describing actions they can take to modify their home and the surrounding site to create a survivable space to reduce the amount of damage a home would likely experience during a wildfire.

Article describing lessons for builders and changes to local building code in Colorado Springs in response to regional wildfires.

Report identifying the target market for solar water heaters and potential pathways and cost/performance targets that must be met for these systems to realize large energy savings.

This webpage provides an interactive walk-through of the installation of a heat pump water heater in a home in Maine, including how-to videos of the installation, video interviews with the homeowners, installer, and utility program partners, and visual tours of the home before and after installation...