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 with information for consumers about solar thermal systems for homes.

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.

Website providing certifications and codes for automatic gas shut off valves in the state of California.

Brochure on specifications for solar thermal systems.

Information sheet about air barriers.

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

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

Article describing the stack effect in buildings.

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

PDF detailing the inspection and verification guidance for WaterSense labeled new homes including indoor and outdoor efficiency requirements, and homeowner and building management education.

Report showing installers how to attach ducts, pipes, and associated equipment to buildings to minimize earthquake damage.

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

Article discussing indoor water management.

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 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.

Webpage describing water treatment standards as related to residential drinking water filters.

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.

Table calculating friction losses of PVC pipe fittings.

Table calculating friction losses for PVC pipe by length.

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.

Field manual describing measures to reduce potential hazards and damages caused by and to nonstructural components of a building such as HVAC, appliances, lighting, windows, and furniture during an earthquake.

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...

Website with information and research about residential hot water distribution systems.

This project analyzed combined condensing water heaters or boilers and hydronic air coils to provide high efficiency domestic hot water (DHW) and forced air space heating. Called "combi" systems, they provided similar space and water heating performance less expensively than installing two...

Article from the Institute of Biological Engineering describing reverse osmosis water softeners.

Factsheet describing air-sealing.

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...

Information for properly sizing gas lines for use with tankless water heaters and other gas appliances.

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

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.

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.

Guide addressing troubleshooting and frequently asked questions about water pressure.

Article describing water leak detection and modes of testing (video camera inspection, hydrostatic pressure, electronic listening, isolation, and digital testing).

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

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