Library

Document describing the air leakage provisions of Appendix RA of the 2015 IECC (prepared for the State of Georgia to assist with compliance with their 2019 Energy Code).

Article describing vapor retarder requirements in the International Residential Code and International Building Code 2021.

Report providing builders in the hot-dry and mixed-dry climates with guidance for building homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Article describing thermal bridging, construction practices that encourage thermal bridging, and solutions.

Guide for homeowners describing how to find and seal basement and attic air leaks, determine if attic insulation is adequate, make improvements safely, and reduce energy bills.

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

Report describing how changing the air exchange rate of a home (the sum of the infiltration and mechanical ventilation airflow rates) affects the annual thermal conditioning energy.

Article describing methods for thermally isolating a garage in a Passive House-certified multifamily building.

Standards book discussing the minimum standards of total system balance of HVAC systems.

Standard providing master specifications for closed cell, medium density spray polyurethane foam air barriers located in the non-accessible part of the wall.

Standard outlining materials and installation methods by using commercial building wraps.

Standard providing information about self-adhered sheet air barriers located in the non-accessible part of the wall and materials to bridge and seal air leakage pathways and gaps.

Standard outlining materials and installation methods for a liquid-applied vapor permeable air barrier systems located in the non-accessible part of the wall.

Vinyl siding estimating and installation guide for vinyl siding products.

Standard covering equipment sizing loads for single-family-detached homes, small multi-unit structures, condo­miniums, town houses and manufactured homes.

Technical manual from ACCA outlining correct methods for zoning of residential HVAC systems.

Fact sheet poster describing how to add exterior, continuous, rigid insulation to the exterior walls when replacing siding on an existing home.

A website explaining the process of sealing a home with Aeroseal & how the technology is used to seal holes in the air ducts and vents of the home.

Report examining the effectiveness of an aerosolized acrylic technique for air sealing existing homes to reduce air leakage and improve energy efficiency.

Technical report describing the research behind a new aerosol-based sealing method, utilizing pressurization and a dispersed sealant fog, facilitated by a standard blower door, to automatically measure, locate, and seal air leaks in new homes in the United States, providing an efficient solution to...

Fact sheet describing an innovative aerosol-based sealing technique for tightening building envelopes in new homes, involving pressurizing the structure and dispersing an aerosol sealant "fog" to autonomously identify and seal leaks, with real-time feedback through a standard blower door and laptop...

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...

Brochure about creating an air barrier by sealing drywall assemblies.

Brochure about creating an air barrier at tub, shower and fireplace walls.

Information on the control of air flow across building enclosures to control moisture damage, reduce energy losses, and ensure occupant comfort and health. A continuous, strong, stiff, durable and air impermeable air barrier system is required between the exterior and conditioned space to control...

Document reporting results from a study done to evaluate effects of automotive emissions from attached garages on the indoor environment.

Article describing how an airtight home shell helps achieve a tight envelope that is energy efficient and cost effective.

Article describing how to stop air leaks around the windows and doors of a home.

Website article interviewing the inventor of the Larsen truss, a history of its use, and a discussion of its advantages and disadvantages.

Article about different types of weather resistant barrier.

Report that collected field data from a whole-home program in Illinois are utilized to compare marketplace-installed measures to the energy saving optimal packages previously developed for 15 housing types.

Report on adding insulation to load-bearing mass masonry buildings.

Report analyzing design heating load sizing methods for superinsulated homes in cold climates and comparing them to the actual energy usage to determine if the building load calculation methodology should be changed for calculating the design heating load of these homes.

Report about a building project in the marine climate.

Article describing air sealing and air barriers in buildings.

Technical report describing the thermal performance of 40 common building envelope details for mid- and high-rise buildings, including analyses to optimize energy efficiency and reduce thermal bridging.

Report focused on foundation insulation R-values for cold climates and the design, construction, and performance implications.

ASTM standard providing test methods for determining duct air leakage in low-rise residential and commercial buildings.

Report about a project that examines implementation of advanced retrofit measures in the context of a large-scale weatherization program and the archetypal Chicago, Illinois, brick bungalow.

This report outlines research activities that are expected to facilitate the adoption of energy retrofits by remodeling contractors and roofing contractors using retrofit panels which applicable to many existing house designs in most climates and markets.

Article describing the building science implications of insulating vented or unvented attics.

Article describing the research into insulating vented versus unvented attics.

SPFA website signup page to access SPFA documents.

Report describing approaches to insulating basements in homes built to meet Energy Star levels of performance of heat loss reduction.

Information sheet describing techniques for insulating basements.

Report summarizing commissioning, short-term testing, utility bill data analysis, and results of on-site monitoring of a deep energy retrofit.

Code establishing the rules of safety relating only to pressure integrity for the design, fabrication, and inspection of boilers and pressure vessels during construction which was published in the year 2017 and is available to order at the referenced link.

Code establishing the rules of safety relating only to pressure integrity for the design, fabrication, and inspection of boilers and pressure vessels during construction which was published in the year 2021 and is available to order at the referenced link.

Document focusing on the design and wall components that contribute to a pressure equalized rain screen wall, including the frequency of the weep holes and other brick masonry rain screen wall requirements.

Brochure explaining the essential basis for advanced framing and some of the more common advanced framing details.