Library

Research report assessing the moisture and cooling load impacts of airtightness and mechanical ventilation in homes in hot-humid climates.

Article discussing flow-through assemblies of walls.

Journal article describing lessons learned from updating a 16-year-old deep-energy retrofit.

Website providing resources for roofers to construct high-wind, hurricane, and hail-resistant roofs from IBHS Fortified program.

The FPC Monitoring project has evaluated radiant barrier systems (RBS) as a new potential DSM program.

Results from a research program testing airtightness, implications of air leakage and contaminant reduction over the garage-to-house interface.

Information sheet about air barriers.

Article describing the stack effect in buildings.

Report presenting construction methods, building products, appliances and equipment of four single-family houses that achieve dramatic energy reductions and approach “net zero energy” use.

Report providing the results of an analysis of humidity control and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system efficiency in three new multifamily buildings in New York, NY.

Report outlining results from a 2005 hygrothermal pilot study in the South.

Report on whole-house and spot ventilation strategies for improved indoor air quality.

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

Guidebook providing useful examples of high performance retrofit techniques for the building enclosure of wood frame residential construction in a cold and somewhat wet climate.

Siding installation guide for Ply Gem Siding Group products.

Article describing methods for insulating and air sealing vented and unvented roofs in various climates zones.

Report providing step-by-step instructions for heating contractors and hydronic designers for selecting the proper control settings to maximize system performance and improve response time when using a thermostat setback.

Guide describing proper application, design, and installation of mechanical ventilation cooling systems for homes located in hot-dry and cold-dry climates, as well as a means of understanding the benefits, costs, and tradeoffs of these systems.

Web resource that lays out the pre-work considerations, methods and finishes for installing mechanical insulation.

Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

The next generation of building enclosures is a key step toward achieving high-performance goals through decreasing energy load demand and enabling advanced space-conditioning systems. Yet the adoption of high-R enclosures and particularly high-R walls has been a slow-growing trend because...

Building science insight into crawlspaces.

Report presenting the results of a study evaluating retrofit solutions for addressing the effects of wind washing on homes.

Report documenting actual energy savings of a retrofit project in Boulder, CO.

Article describing airflow within buildings due to pressure differences.

Guide describing flood protection measures for utility systems, including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fuel.

Website providing an online calculator for determining energy and cost savings from installing radiant barriers in attics.

U.S. Department of Energy's website describing radiant barriers in homes.

Website with answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about attic radiant barriers.

Document with important building science considerations, designed for members of the residential construction and remodeling industries, as well as owners and managers who work in affordable housing.

Technical report describing the research and development of the Ventilation-Integrated Comfort System (VICS) which is a specifically designed, energy-efficient solution that seamlessly integrates with low-capacity, ducted heating, and cooling systems, offering controllable, balanced energy recovery...

Report evaluating mechanical AC precooling strategies in homes as a method for improving the load factor by shifting cooling operation from on-peak to off-peak hours.

Article describing how replacing permanent split capacitor (PSC) motors with electronically commutated motors (ECM) can boost bottom line for HVAC contractors as well as improve customer comfort and satisfaction.

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 2016, and is available for...

Standard that covers the minimum performance and acceptance criteria for an air barrier (AB) material or system for framed walls of low-rise buildings with the service life of the building wall in mind. This link directs to a preview of the current version of the standard, published in the year 2019...

Standard that covers the minimum performance and acceptance criteria for an air barrier (AB) material or system for framed walls of low-rise buildings with the service life of the building wall in mind. This link directs to a preview of the version of the standard that was published in the year 2011...

Brochure with information about how to select and install house wrap and other weather-resistive barriers.

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).

Technical report describing the impact of thermal bridging in balcony connections, presenting alternative design strategies, performance analyses, and case studies to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in building envelopes.

Report on a project conducted to better understand the current usage of thermostatic radiator valves by key market players in steam and hot water heating and to conduct limited experiments on the effectiveness of new and old thermostatic radiator valves as a means of controlling space temperatures...

Fact sheet poster describing the energy efficiency and comfort benefits of thin triple-pane windows as compared to standard triple-pane and double-pane windows.

Information sheet providing definitions, applications, and techniques for applying air barriers.

Information sheet with methods for constructing or retrofitting basements to reduce moisture issues.

Documents describing Flood Resistant Provisions of codes published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officers (IAPMO): the Uniform Mechanical Code; Uniform Plumbing Code; Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code; and Uniform Solar, Hydronics and Geothermal Code (Uniform...

Fact sheet describing the results of an analysis of humidity control and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system efficiency in three new multifamily buildings in New York, NY.

Publication with installation guidance for vinyl siding.

Factsheet describing the importance of system charging, superheat and subcooling.