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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 1951 - 2000 of 2217

The HPWH Handbook: Optimum Installation Practices and Answers to Lingering Research Questions

Author(s)
Widder Sarah H,
Larson Ben
Organization(s)
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy,
ACEEE,
Cadeo Group LLC,
Ecotope Inc.
Publication Date
Conference paper summarizing the relative performance of currently available Heat Pump Water Heaters (HPWH) models, the energy implications of different installation locations (garage, basement, or conditioned space) and ducting configurations (exhaust ducting, full ducting, or no ducting), as well...

The Impacts of Cooking and an Assessment of Indoor Air Quality in Colorado Passive and Tightly Constructed Homes

Author(s)
Militello-Hourigan Ryan Edward,
Miller Shelly L
Organization(s)
University of Colorado-Boulder
Publication Date
Article describing a field study that test ventilation performance in nine homes and found current ventilation was inadequate to remove PM2.5 and CO2 levels; however, a directly exhausting range hood can reduce peak PM2.5 concentrations by 75% or more.

The Importance of Roof Truss Bracing

Author(s)
Woolf
Organization(s)
Minera Roof Trusses & Joints
Publication Date
Report illustrating CAD drawings and modeling of bracing layouts for a gable roof truss.

The Insulating Concrete Forms Magazine

Author(s)
ICF Builder Magazine
Organization(s)
ICF Builder Magazine
Publication Date
Information sheet disucssing myths about insulated concrete forms.

The NADCA Standard for Assessment, Cleaning & Restoration of HVAC Systems

Author(s)
National Air Duct Cleaners Association
Organization(s)
NADCA
Publication Date
Standard providing industry-backed information for assessing new and existing HVAC systems, evaluating and verifying the cleanliness of HVAC system components, preventing job related hazards and guiding the cleaning and restoration of HVAC systems to a specific level of cleanliness.

The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) Roofing Manual - 2020 Set

Author(s)
National Roofing Contractors Association
Organization(s)
NRCA
Publication Date
Manuals describing design, materials, and installation techniques applicable to almost all types of roof systems; four-volume set includes Metal Panel and SPF Roof Systems, Membrane Roof Systems, Architectural Metal Flashing and Condensation and Air Leakage Control, and Steep-Slope Roof Systems.

The Next Step Toward Widespread Residential Deep Energy Retrofits

Author(s)
McIlvaine Janet E R,
Martin Eric,
Elam Laura,
Baden Steve,
Bordelon Ed,
Saunders Susan
Organization(s)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
TexEnergy Solutions,
Residential Energy Services Network,
RESNET
Publication Date
Report providing a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis inherent to different models as a way of thinking about the transition from traditional business models into a viable model for delivering deep energy retrofits.

The Perfect Wall, BSI-001

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Article describing the perfect wall and and in what order to control rain, air, vapor, and heat.

The Performance Check Between Whole Building Thermal Performance Criteria and Exterior Wall Measured Clear Wall R-Value, Thermal Bridging, thermal mass and airtightness

Author(s)
Kosny Jan,
Christian Jeffrey E,
Desjarlais Andre O,
Kossecka Elisabeth,
Berrenberg Lance
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
Polish Academy of Sciences,
PAN,
American Polysteel Forms,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Paper that illustrates a performance check between the thermal performance of a Massive Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) wall system mocked up and Whole Building Performance criteria such as total space heating and cooling loads (thermal comfort).

The reHABITAT Guide: For Energy- and Resource-Efficient Retrofit Strategies

Author(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
Steven Winter Associates
Organization(s)
CARB,
NREL,
SWA
Publication Date
Report developed for Habitat for Humanity about lessons learned from demonstration retrofit projects undertaken by Habitat for Humanity affiliates in New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania; with building systems consulting and technical assistance provided by Steven Winter Associates.

The Retrofit Decision Tool

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Fact sheet poster describing a DOE tool that walks homeowners through a series of simple questions to produce a list of retrofit recommendations to improve the energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and durability of the homeowners’ home, while also lowering their carbon footprint.

The Role of Appraisals in Energy Efficiency Financing

Author(s)
Doyle Victoria
Organization(s)
Building Industry Research Alliance,
BIRA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Research study identifying barriers, industry status, critical obstacles to documenting added value from energy efficiency improvements, current opportunities to support reporting about energy efficiency, and next steps toward enabling energy efficiency financing market transformation.

The Scary Crawlspace

Author(s)
Hales David
Organization(s)
Home Energy Magazine
Publication Date
Article describing the risks associated with vented and unvented crawlspaces in different climate zones.

The State of the Nation's Housing 2010

Author(s)
Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
Organization(s)
Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
Publication Date
Even as the worst housing market correction in more than 60 years appeared to turn a corner in 2009, the fallout from sharply lower home prices and high unemployment continued.

The Winding Road Towards "Zero" Energy: Lessons From Monitoring Efficient Solar Homes

Author(s)
Puttagunta Srikanth,
Aldrich Robb,
Owens Douglas,
Vijayakumar Gayathri
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Report presenting results from whole-house monitoring efforts in hope that they may be useful for others moving towards zero energy homes.

Thermal Bypass Checklist Guide

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Document providing an overview of the Thermal Bypass Checklist for the ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes program.

Thermal Enclosure System Rater Checklist Guidebook

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Guide describing details that serve as a visual reference for each of the line items in the Thermal Enclosure System Rater Checklist.

Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2020

Author(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers
Organization(s)
ASHRAE,
ANSI
Publication Date
Standard 55 specifies conditions for acceptable thermal environments and is intended for use in design, operation, and commissioning of buildings and other occupied spaces; is the current version of the standard, which was published in the year 2021, and is available for preview and purchase at the...

Thermal Impact of Fasteners in High-Performance Wood-Framed Walls

Author(s)
Christensen Dane
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Research study investigating the thermal efficiency of fasteners, namely drywall screws and siding nails, in high-performance wood-framed walls.

Thermal Mass

Author(s)
Reardon Chris,
McGee Caitlin,
Milne Geoff
Organization(s)
Australian Government
Publication Date
Webpage providing guidance on the use of thermal mass with passive heating and cooling strategies.

Thermal Mass in Building Design

Author(s)
Baggs David,
Mortensen Neal
Organization(s)
Australian Council of Building Design Professions Ltd,
BDP
Publication Date
Design guide providing technical information regarding building with thermal mass.

Thermal Mass Solutions

Author(s)
Habian Bob
Organization(s)
National Council of Structural Engineers Association,
NCSEA
Publication Date
Article detailing a case study in which thermal mass was used as part of an overall Net Zero solution for a university building.

Thermal Performance and Wall Ratings

Author(s)
Christian Jeffrey E,
Kosny Jan
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL
Publication Date
Report proposing a procedure for estimating the whole opaque wall R-value (whole-wall R-value), independent of system type and construction materials.

Thermal Protection in Recessed Luminaires

Author(s)
Pierce Jim
Organization(s)
Independent Alliance of the Electrical Industry,
IAEI
Publication Date
Article on thermal protectors in recessed light fixtures.

Thermostat Controls

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Guide from Energy Star on smart thermostats and offering some guidance for choosing one.

Thermostatic Radiator Valve Evaluation

Author(s)
Dentz Jordan,
Ansanelli Eric
Organization(s)
Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions,
ARIES,
Levy Partnership
Publication Date
Report on a project conducted to better understand the current usage of thermostatic radiator valves by key market players in steam and hot water heating and to conduct limited experiments on the effectiveness of new and old thermostatic radiator valves as a means of controlling space temperatures...

They All Laughed, BSI-026

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Article describing the evolution of the IRC to permit class 3 vapor retarders (latex paint) in walls coupled with exterior continuous insulation to allow drying and reduce condensation risk.

Thin Triple-Pane Windows: Coming Soon to a Hardware Store Near You!

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
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.

Think Wood

Author(s)
Think Wood
Organization(s)
Think Wood
Publication Date

Third Street

Author(s)
Gifford Henry
Organization(s)
Home Energy Magazine
Publication Date
Article describing how an affordable multifamily building achieved energy savings for the same cost as code-minimum construction.

Three-Dimensional Roof Snowdrifts

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety,
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
IBHS,
FEMA
Publication Date
Factsheet providing design guidance for engineers describing how to characterize snow drifts on roofs in three dimensions rather than two, as anticipated in the 2022 edition of the standards, ASCE 7 - Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures.

Tile Roofing for High Wind Regions, FEMA Technical Fact Sheet No. 7.4

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Fact sheet outlining best design and construction practices for tile roofing in high wind areas; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Tips & Resources - Evaporative Coolers

Author(s)
City of Fresno
Organization(s)
City of Fresno
Publication Date
Webpage from the City of Fresno's Water Conservation Program describing household water conservation recommendations, including tips for maintaining evaporative coolers.

Tips for Natural Gas Safety at Home

Author(s)
NorthWest Natural
Organization(s)
NW Natural
Publication Date
Website providing consumer tips for using natural gas safely in the home, including guidance on cooking, fireplaces, ventilation, pilot lights, piping, etc.

Tips for Weatherstripping Windows and Doors

Author(s)
New York State Homes and Community Renewal
Organization(s)
New York State Homes and Community Renewal
Publication Date
Article describing tips for effectively installing weatherstripping on windows and doors.

Top 20 Largest California Wildfires

Author(s)
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Organization(s)
Cal Fire
Publication Date
Webpage with data on the 20 largest wildfires in California that occurred between the year 1932 and present day.