Library

Document presenting some of the key technical properties of many of the most common building materials.

Guide informing builders and developers about efficient building practice for constructing homes with structural insulated panels.

Reference investigating the strategy of using buried and/or encapsulated ducts to reduce duct thermal losses in residential buildings.

Report describing a deep energy retrofit project for a two-family wood framed home located in Belmont, Massachusetts.

Article describing correct ways to eliminate water damage by incorporating a sacrificial layer to foundation walls and footings.

Website of the Cold Climate Housing Research Center.

Information sheet with information about insulating and ventilating attics.

Case study characterizing the framing factors for the exterior walls, ceilings, and floors of 180 wood-framed low-rise residential buildings across the United States.

Report identifying housing characteristics and energy use for fifteen single-family housing types and specifies measure packages that provide an optimum level of energy savings based on a BEopt analysis.

A list of EPA-certified wood-burning appliances for home heating for a range of budgets.

Report on the stability of furring strips as a means for cladding attachment over walls with thick exterior rigid insulation.

Article describing correct ways to attach rigid insulation to the exterior of commercial and residential buildings.

ENERGY STAR clothes dryer buying guidance for consumers.

ENERGY STAR criteria that requires clothes dryers meet this set of efficiency and cycle time requirements using eligibility and energy performance metrics.

ENERGY STAR clothes washers key product criteria eligibility and energy performance metrics.

Research study describing an experimental and theoretical investigation of the energy and hygrothermal performance of retrofit foundation insulation systems in climate zones 6 and 7.

Information sheet summarizing inspection and testing of combustion appliances taught during the 2006 Florida whole-house weatherization training as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hot Climate Initiative.

Fact sheet that details the steps needed to perform a combustion appliance safety inspection to determine if fossil fuel-fired appliances are operating safely under a depressurized condition.

Report on heating and cooling air-distribution ducts that are insulated, installed close to the ceiling in a vented attic and covered with attic insulation to minimize energy loss.

Article introducing the FTC’s new EnergyGuide label, including estimates of annual energy usage.

Information guide describing issues with concrete floors, in multiple climate zones.

Report covering insulating crawlspaces.

A website explaining how to properly dispose of old refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.

The Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x4 wood frame studs, wood structural panel sheathing (WSP) as wall bracing and added backing for foam sheathing, a layer of rigid foam sheathing insulation up to 1.5 inches thick over the WSP, and a cladding system installed over the foam sheathing in low...

Part I of the Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x6 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as exterior sheathing, gypsum board as interior sheathing, and a cladding system installed over WSP sheathing in low-rise residential buildings up to three stories in height.

The Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x4 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as wall bracing and added backing for foam sheathing, a layer of rigid foam sheathing insulation up to 1.5 in. thick over the WSP, and a cladding system installed over the foam sheathing in low...

Document presenting step-by-step process for installing rigid insulating sheathing over wood studs or house wrap.

Article describing research encouraging use of exterior insulation to warm interior sheathing surfaces in walls and roof assemblies to reduce the likelihood of condensation during cold weather

Research report anayzing the results of a large retrofit project, turining an old school into near zero energy consumption apartments in Greenfield MA.

Article describing the difference between conditioned or unvented attics and unconditioned or vented attics.

Research study examining the opportunities for cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy retrofits in residential archetypes constructed before 1980 (Pre-Code) in 14 U.S. cities.

Information sheet about crawlspace insulation, including installation details.

Article discussing whether or not to seal and insulate crawlspaces.

Job Process sheet for the manufactured housing industry showing how to cut insulation batts to fit wall cavities in a factory production environment.

Article describing the importance of air sealing, insulation, and roof ventilation in reducing the likelihood of ice dam formation on roofs in cold snowy climates.

Report covering exterior energy retrofits of masonry buildings.

Guide informing architects and engineers about designing buildings to be constructed with structural insulated panels.

Report detailing the value of a smart range hood (SRH) that was developed as part of a project aimed at addressing indoor air quality (IAQ) health risks by targeting key pollutants in residential kitchens, with a focus on being consumer-friendly, quiet, effective, and efficient, meeting established...

Website providing lists of WaterSense-qualified products for home plumbing and irrigation equipment that meet the requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense program.

ENERGY STAR Key product criteria for dishwashers.

Information about dense pack, cellulose insulation.

Information sheet with safety tips for home owners on proper maintenance of clothes dryers.

Information sheet with HVAC duct insulation, testing, maintenance and performance information.

Case study describing foundation wall moisture studies at a research facility in Minnesota run by Building America team NorthernSTAR.

Factsheet describing how to secure refrigerators and other major appliances to wall studs using earthquake appliance straps or angle brackets and bolts.

Factsheet describing how to secure televisions, microwaves, computers, and other electronics to prevent damage during earthquakes.

Factsheet describing how to secure water heaters to resist seismic activity.

Guide provides homeowners ways to prepare for an earthquake and protect a home against earthquake damage.

A one-page fact sheet outlining the purpose of an earthquake valve and how the valve can stop gas from flowing into a residence or building.

Webpage from U.S. Department of Energy describing using Earth-Sheltered home building techniques in hot climate zones.