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Library

This library contains research reports produced by the Building America program and other building science resources used to support this Solution Center. The materials cover both new construction and existing homes. Use the search box and/or the filters to explore hundreds of residential building resources. Access to some references not produced by Building America may require purchase from the publisher. Documents are listed alphabetically. While we continually update our database, links may have changed since posting. Please contact our webmaster if you find broken links.

Showing results 1901 - 1950 of 2217

Servicing High Efficiency Modcon Boilers

Author(s)
Eatherton Mark
Organization(s)
Contractor Magazine
Publication Date
Article describing the author's experiences in owning and servicing a modcon boiler.

Uplifting Moments – Roof Failures, BSI-019

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Report covering wind uplift and roofing membrane failures.

Which Spray Foam is Right For You?

Author(s)
Zoeller William
Organization(s)
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Document describing different spray foam materials including some pros and cons and technical specifications.

General Solar Thermal Specification

Author(s)
Aldrich Robb
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Brochure on specifications for solar thermal systems.

General PV Specification

Author(s)
Aldrich Robb
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Brochure on specifications for PV systems.

Westford House, BSI-018

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Report describing sloped roof assemblies with high levels of thermal performance.

High-R Roofs Case Study Analysis, BA-1006

Author(s)
Straube John,
Grin Aaron
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Report that considers a number of promising wall systems that can meet the requirement for better thermal control.

Preliminary Performance Evaluation of a Near Zero Energy Home in Gainesville, Florida

Author(s)
Hoak David,
Chandra Subrato,
Martin Eric,
Parker Danny S,
Sherwin John S
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Report reviewing the design of a net zero energy home in Gainesville, Florida and then focusing on the first six months of energy performance of the project home during the second half of 2008.

Metal Roof Systems in High-Wind Regions - Hurricane Ike Recovery Advisory

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
A Recovery Advisory guide reccomending practices for designing and installing metal roof systems that will enhance wind resistance in high-wind regions (i.e., greater than 90-miles per hour [mph] gust design wind speed).

Local Officials Guide for Coastal Construction, FEMA P-762

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Guide describing sound mitigation measures to lower building natural disaster vulnerability to assist local officials and community decision makers in coastal areas.

Guide to Good Leak Testing

Author(s)
Institute of Refrigeration
Organization(s)
IOR,
Carbon Trust
Publication Date
Guide describing refrigeration leaks, including common leak points, how to fix them, and how to prevent them.

Energy Impacts of Various Residential Mechanical Ventilation Strategies

Author(s)
Parker Danny S,
Gu Lixing,
Wichers Michael,
Vieira Robin K
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Document comparing simulation results from a modified version of the EnergyGauge program to include various HVAC runtime strategies.

Living with Fire: Homeowners' Firesafe Guide for Montana

Author(s)
FireSafe Montana
Organization(s)
FireSafe Montana
Publication Date
Guide for homeowners describing actions they can take to modify their home and the surrounding site to create a survivable space to reduce the amount of damage a home would likely experience during a wildfire.

EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2009

Author(s)
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Organization(s)
EIA
Publication Date
Federal statistics about national energy consumption in residential homes.

Fire Network: Windows Vulnerabilities

Author(s)
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Organization(s)
UCANR,
University of California Cooperative Extension
Publication Date
A report showing what happens when windows break as a result of temperature differences between the inside and outside of the home, as well as code standards for the State of California regarding window exposure to wildfires.

GREENGUARD Certification for Paints and Coatings

Author(s)
GREENGUARD Environmental Institute
Organization(s)
GREENGUARD Environmental Institute
Publication Date
Standard describing GREENGUARD Emission Criteria for use with GREENGUARD Certification Program for Low Emitting Products.

Indirect/Passive Air-Flow Systems

Author(s)
Kang Bhujon,
Lutz-Carillo Sky
Organization(s)
University of Texas
Publication Date
Report detailing natural ventilation and passive airflow systems.

Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
National Service Center for Environmental Publications
Organization(s)
EPA,
NSCEP
Publication Date
Guidance for achieving safe and healthy indoor environments during home energy retrofits.

Wall Bracing Examples

Author(s)
City of Verona,
WI Building Department,
State of Wisconsin
Organization(s)
City of Verona,
WI Building Department,
State of Wisconsin
Publication Date
Document describing wall bracing techniques and suggestions for the city of Verona, WI building department.

Geothermal (Ground-Source) Heat Pumps: Market Status, Barriers to Adoption, and Actions to Overcome Barriers

Author(s)
Hughes Patrick J
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report investigating the status of the geothermal heat pump (GHP) industry and technology in the United States, assembling GHP energy savings potential, identifying key barriers to application of GHPs, and identifying actions that could accelerate adoption of GHPs.

Research Results from A Few Alternate Methods of Interior Duct Systems in Factory Built Housing Located In the Hot Humid Climate

Author(s)
Moyer Neil,
Stroer Dennis,
Hoak David,
McIlvaine Janet,
Chandra Subrato
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
Calcs Plus
Publication Date
Document presenting results from testing prototype HVAC duct system designs that would locate the entire length of duct work within the air and thermal barriers of the building envelope. These include one that incorporated a high-side supply register, one that utilized a single soffit located within...

Ceiling Fans - Tips for Maximizing Energy Savings

Author(s)
Calwell Chris,
Horowitz Noah
Organization(s)
Massachusetts Department of Energy,
Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
Home Energy Magazine,
State of Massachusetts
Publication Date
Article describing customer tip sheet and how ceiling fans are one of the most popular and generally well regarded of all home energy efficiency features.

Boiler Inspections for Safety, Life and Efficiency

Author(s)
Kleva Stephen
Organization(s)
Contractor Magazine
Publication Date
Article explaining the importance of regular inspections of boiler systems in maintaining their safety, lifespan, and efficiency.

Quality Assurance Roadmap for High Performance Residential Buildings, GM-0801

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W,
Pettit Betsy,
Eng P
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Document outlining the approach to quality assurance in the construction process as recommended by Building Science Corporation for new residential construction.

How Energy Efficient are Modern Dishwashers?

Author(s)
Hoak David,
Parker Danny S,
Hermelink Andreas H
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Report about measurements of three recent vintage dishwashers of very different efficiencies showing that while they are substantially more efficient than older dishwashers.

NightCool: A Nocturnal Radiation Cooling Concept

Author(s)
Parker Danny S,
Hermelink Andreas H,
Sherwin John S
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Report about an experimental evaluation has been conducted on a night sky cooling system designed to substantially reduce space cooling needs in homes in North American climates.

Keeping Warm during Winter Power Outages

Author(s)
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences & Family and Consumer Sciences
Organization(s)
University of Georgia
Publication Date
Webpage describing how to conserve heat or find alternative heat sources during a power outage to keep one room warm.

Moving Ducts Inside: Big Builders, Scientists Find Common Ground

Author(s)
Lubliner Michael,
Kerr Ryan,
Gordon Andrew,
Murray Chuck
Organization(s)
WSU Extension Energy Program,
Washington State Department of Community Trade and Economic Development
Publication Date
Conference paper making the case that moving ducts to conditioned space saves energy, is practical for production builders (when accompanied by careful pre-planning), and creates significant andmarketable energy savings for homebuyers.