Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 72 results:

2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey - RECS Data

2015

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA

Federal statistics about national energy consumption in residential homes.

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Marine Climate, Volume 11

2010

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report providing builders in marine 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.

AABC National Standards for Total System Balance, Seventh Edition

2016

Associated Air Barrier Council,

American National Standards Institute

AABC,

ANSI

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

Above the Flood: Elevating Your Floodprone House, FEMA 347

2000

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Document describing three methods for elevating a home out of the flood zone.

ACCA Manual J - Residential Load Calculation, 8th Edition-Full, ANSI/ACCA 2-2016

2016

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

ACCA

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

ACCA Manual ZR – Residential Zoning Systems

2018

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

ACCA

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

Analysis of Pre-Retrofit Building and Utility Data

2014

Prahl Duncan,

Beach Robert

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS

Report outlining workflow and results of regression models on monthly and daily utility data (meter readings of electricity consumption), outlining a process for screening and gathering useful results from inverse models.

Analyzing Design Heating Loads in Superinsulated Buildings

2015

Arena Lois

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

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.

Attic or Roof? An Evaluation of Two Advanced Weatherization Packages, BA-1205

2012

Neuhauser Ken

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

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.

Best Practices Manual

2018

Hammer & Hand

This Best Practices Manual is the product of Hammer & Hand’s ongoing work to document and internally codify our standard operating procedures for construction practice.

BPVC Code Cases: Boilers and Pressure Vessels, BPVC.CC.BPV-2017

2017

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASME

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.

BPVC Code Cases: Boilers and Pressure Vessels, BPVC.CC.BPV-2021

2021

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASME

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.

Builders Challenge Quality Criteria Support Document

2010

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document providing guidance to U.S. home builders who want to accept the challenge.

Building America Best Practices Series - 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Cold and Very Cold Climates, Volume 12

2011

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Guide describing measures that builders in the cold and very cold climates can take to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Building America Guidance for Identifying and Overcoming Code, Standard, and Rating Method Barriers

2013

Cole Pam C,

Halverson Mark A

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Guidance document providing BA research teams and partners with specific information and approaches to identifying and overcoming potential barriers to Building America (BA) innovations arising in and/or stemming from codes, standards, and rating methods.

Building America Residential System Research Results - Achieving 30% Whole House Energy Savings Level in Marine Climates, January 2006 - December 2006

2006

Building America Industrialized Housing Partnership,

et al.

BAIHP,

BIRA,

BSC,

CARB,

DEG,

IBACOS,

NAHBRC,

NREL,

IBCS

Report summarizing research results for the 30% energy savings level and demonstrates that lead builders can successfully provide 30% homes in the Marine Climate Region on a cost-neutral basis.

Building Radon Out - A Step-by-Step Guide On How To Build Radon-Resistant Homes

2001

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Document detailing how to build radon-resistant homes.

Building with Ducts in Conditioned Space

2011

Sullivan Bruce,

Schmiede Angela

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE,

Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,

NEEA

Training manual on how to locate ducts within conditioned space and compact design.

Clanging Pipes and Open Windows: Upgrading NYC Steam Heating Systems for the 21st Century

2015

Flothow Jonathan

Energy Efficiency for All,

EEFA,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Report describing strategies to improve the aging steam heating systems in New York City to improve energy efficiency, reduce oil and gas usage, and cut maintenance costs.

Climate Science Special Report 4th National Climate Assessment Vol 1

2017

U.S. Global Change Research Program

USGCRP,

Climate Science Special Report,

CSSR

Report assessing the science of climate change with a focus on the U.S.

Closed Crawl Space Performance: Proof of Concept in the Production Builder Marketplace

2008

Dastur Cyrus,

Mauceri Maria,

Hannas Benjamin

Advanced Energy

Report aimed to quantify the impact of closed crawlspaces in new homes, and investigate modeling software to ensure accuracy of energy consumption predictions in these homes.

Closed Crawl Spaces - An Introduction to Design, Construction and Performance

2005

Dastur Cyrus,

Davis Bruce,

Warren William E

Advanced Energy

Guide about designing and installing closed crawlspaces in the Southeast.

Community-Wide Zero Energy Ready Home Standard

2016

Herk Anastasia,

Beggs Timothy

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

U.S. Department of Energy

Report outlining the steps developers can take to create high-performance standards on a community-wide scale.

Comparison of Measured and Calculated Residential Cooling Loads

2007

Barnaby Charles S,

Wilcox Bruce A

American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,

ASHRAE

Technical report detailing a study in which actual cooling loads are compared to modeled cooling loads.

Database of Low-e Storm Window Energy Performance across U.S. Climate Zones

2014

Cort Katherine A,

Culp Thomas D

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Birch Point Consulting,

BPC

Research study evaluating energy savings and cost effectiveness of installing low-emissivity (low-e) storm windows over existing windows in residential homes in all climate zones.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Design and Construction Process

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Design and Construction Process chapter provides detailed guidance for each process phase: pre-planning, planning, construction, test-out and post-occupancy.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Lessons learned

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Lessons Learned chapter focuses on successful deep energy retrofit projects throughout the U.S.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Occupant Behavior

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Occupant Behavior chapter discusses how to assess homeowner behavior patterns and use these patterns to enhance overall energy savings.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Over-Time, Phased Guidance

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Over Time, Phased Guidance chapter presents a phased approach to deep energy retrofits.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Reducing Costs and Increasing Cost-Effectiveness

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Reducing costs and Increasing Cost-Effectiveness chapter provides suggestions for controlling deep retrofit costs, including both 'do's' and 'don'ts'.

Digital Coast

2020

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAA

Website helping communities address coastal issues with data, tools, and training resources.

Distribution and Room Air Mixing Risks to Retrofitted Homes

2014

Burdick Arlan

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS

Report outlining the issues with using existing ducts with a new low-load HVAC system, which reduces throw at supply registers causing decreased mixing of supply and room air, leading to potential thermal comfort complaints.

Evaluation of Missed Energy Saving Opportunity - Based on Illinois Home Performance Program Field Data: Homeowner Selected Upgrades Versus Cost-Optimized Solutions

2014

Milby M,

Baker Julie D,

Yee Shannon

Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,

PARR

Study investigating homeowner measure package choices in the Illinois Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program compared to cost-optimal choices determined through Building Energy Optimization (BEopt) modeling software.

Feasibility of Foundation Heat Exchangers for Residential Ground Source Heat Pump Systems in the United States

2012

Cullin James R,

et al.

American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,

ASHRAE,

Oklahoma State University,

OSU,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

Study characterizing how foundation heat exchangers (FHXs) used in residential ground source heat pump systems represent a potential cost savings due to their lesser first cost over other types of heat exchangers.

FORTIFIED Home ASCE 7-10 FORTIFIED™ Wind Uplift Design Pressure Calculator for Residential Roof Coverings (2:12 or Greater)1,2,3

2020

Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety

IBHS

Calculator determining the appropriate design pressures for steep-slope roof coverings for roofers and evlauators.

Fourth National Climate Assessment, Vol 2: Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States

2018

U.S. Global Change Research Program

USGCRP

Report analyzing the effect of global climate change on national interests, and providing climate predictions.

Geospatial Data Science

2014

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

NREL,

DOE

Website with prepopulated information about the United States renewable resources.

Greenbuilt Retrofit Test House Final Report

2014

Earle Lieko,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Mountain Energy Partnership

Research report presenting results of short term tests on measures used in an energy efficiency retrofit project in California.

How Insulating Concrete Form vs. Conventional Construction of Exterior Walls Affects Whole Building Energy Consumption

2003

Petrie Thomas W,

et al.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy,

ACEEE

Report sumarizing results of an ICF investigation of side-by-side houses in Knoxville, Tennessee.

How to Perform a Heat-Loss Calculation, Part I

2012

Holladay Martin

Green Building Advisor,

GBA

Website blog with guidance about calculating heat-loss.

HVAC System Pressure Relief

2006

Raymer Paul H,

Moyer Neil

Tamarack Technologies,

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Correcting pressure imbalances in your HVAC system can result in a healthier, more efficient home.

Indoor Airflow – Perfect Balance vs. Door Undercut

2011

Guertin Mike

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

Central return designs require an open pathway between the room and the heart of the house where the return grill is located.

Local Officials Guide for Coastal Construction, FEMA P-762

2009

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Guide describing sound mitigation measures to lower building natural disaster vulnerability to assist local officials and community decision makers in coastal areas.

Low-Cost Evaluation of Energy Savings at the Community Scale, Fresno California

2012

Burdick Arlan,

Rapport Ari,

Poerschke Andrew

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

Wathen Castanos Hybrid Homes,

WCHH,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report using a field test plan to evaluate the success of implementing energy efficiency upgrades at the community scale incorporating whole-house systems integrated measures package (SIMP).

Manual B - Balancing and Testing Air and Hydronic Systems

2009

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

ACCA

Standard technical manual with information about HVAC balancing, testing air and hydronic systems.

Mastering Roof Inspections: Flashing, Part 2

2025

International Association of Certified Home Inspectors

InterNACHI

Article describing the flashing of roofs and what to look for, targeted at home inspectors.

Measured Performance of Occupied, Side-by-Side, South Texas Homes

2012

Chasar Dave,

vonSchramm Valerie

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report summarizing a case study about the performance of three occupied homes built in 2009 in San Antonio, Texas.

Mulching with Lawn Clippings

2022

Garden City Harvest

Article describing mulching with lawn clippings.

Multi-Year Advanced Residential Building Systems Research - Revisions to Quality Management Products

2008

Home Innovation Research Labs

HIRL

Report discussing development of scopes of work and quality management for builders in mixed-humid climates.

National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center

2020

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

National Weather Service

NOAA,

NWS

A website issuing watches, warnings, forecasts, and analyses of hazardous tropical weather and increasing the understanding of hazards.