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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 1201 - 1250 of 2100

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
The light-emitting diode (LED) is one of today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technologies.
Author(s)
U.S Green Building Council
Organization(s)
USGBC
Publication Date
Description
Website explaining the LEED v4.1 program and providing a portal for those who want to investigate or start a LEED project.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
ENERGY STAR lightbulb criteria.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
A website explaining why homeowners should install ENERGY STAR certified lightbulbs, which helps to save homeowners on utility bills and protect the environment.
Author(s)
American Lighting Association
Organization(s)
ALA
Publication Date
Description
American Lighting Association website homepage.
Author(s)
Energy Saver,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Webpage describing high-efficiency lighting choices for homeowners including LEDs, CFLs, and halogen bulbs.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
A website exploring the use of lighting controls products like dimmers, motion sensors and timers to save energy in the home.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
A website explaining basic lighting principles and terms & how they are applied to the home.
Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
Description
Webpage published by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) that lists more than 300 consensus codes and standards intended to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks.
Author(s)
University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
U.S. Geological Survey,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Organization(s)
WRI,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
USGS,
NOAA
Publication Date
Description
A publication describing how to protect coastal investments by adapting to natural processes and protecting coastal environments and shorelines.
Author(s)
FireSafe Montana
Organization(s)
FireSafe Montana
Publication Date
Description
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.
Author(s)
BetterBuilt Northwest,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Organization(s)
BetterBuiltNW,
NEEA
Publication Date
Description
Web article describing two options for sizing ductless minisplit heat pumps, including a free HVAC sizing tool.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Factsheet describing the concept of load paths and the important connections in a wind uplift load path; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Guide describing sound mitigation measures to lower building natural disaster vulnerability to assist local officials and community decision makers in coastal areas.
Author(s)
Stecher Dave,
Allison Katherine,
Prahl Duncan
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report presenting a cold climate project that examines the relationships among energy efficient single-family residential thermal enclosures, room-to-room temperature variations, and simplified space conditioning systems.
Author(s)
Stecher Dave,
Allison Katherine
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report about a two-year study intended to document the energy performance of a house in each sub-metered area and compare the performance to modeled predictions and to assess the thermal comfort performance of the single point mini-split heat pump.
Author(s)
Fonorow Ken,
Jenkins Dave,
Thomas-Rees Stephanie,
Chandra Subrato
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
Florida Home Energy and Resources Organization,
Florida HERO,
Energy Smart Home Plans,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Description
Document presenting a cost effective method that was used by four builders in the Gainesville, FL area to construct interior ducts in over a dozen site built homes.
Author(s)
Burdick Arlan,
Rapport Ari,
Poerschke Andrew
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS,
Wathen Castanos Hybrid Homes,
WCHH,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
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).
Author(s)
Hudon Kate,
Merrigan Tim,
Burch Jay,
Maguire Jeff
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report identifying the target market for solar water heaters and potential pathways and cost/performance targets that must be met for these systems to realize large energy savings.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet defining “lowest floor,” identifying common construction practices that are violations of NFIP regulations, and discussing benefits of exceeding the NFIP minimum building elevation requirements; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact...
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
A website explaining lumens & how to compare the amount of light that lightbulbs can produce when shopping for replacements.
Author(s)
D+R Learn,
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships,
Home Works Energy Inc.,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE,
NEEP
Publication Date
Description
This webpage provides an interactive walk-through of the installation of a heat pump water heater in a home in Maine, including how-to videos of the installation, video interviews with the homeowners, installer, and utility program partners, and visual tours of the home before and after installation...
Author(s)
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Organization(s)
Cal Fire
Publication Date
Description
A webpage outlining CAL FIRE’s recommendations for creating defensible space.
Author(s)
Holladay Martin
Organization(s)
Green Building Advisor,
GBA
Publication Date
Description
If your kitchen has a powerful exhaust fan, it may be pulling air down your chimney or water-heater flue.
Author(s)
Slipstream
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Factsheet describing how to test the duct leakage of a manufactured home in the manufactured home factory.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Website providing links to the EPA developed map of radon risk in the United States.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
The purpose of this map is to assist national, state and local organizations to target their resources and to implement radon-resistant building codes.
Author(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
PNNL,
DOE
Publication Date
Author(s)
International Masonry Institute
Organization(s)
International Masonry Institute
Publication Date
Description
Webpage featuring hundreds of illustrations of masonry construction details for brick, congrete, stone, tile, stucco, etc.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing important roof-to-wall and wall-to-foundation connection details for masonry construction in coastal areas, including load paths, building materials, and reinforcement; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”
Author(s)
Neuhauser Ken,
Gates Cathy,
Pettit Betsy
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Guidebook providing useful examples of high performance retrofit techniques for the building enclosure of wood frame residential construction in a cold and somewhat wet climate.
Author(s)
Ply Gem Siding Group
Organization(s)
Ply Gem Siding Group
Publication Date
Description
Siding installation guide for Ply Gem Siding Group products.
Author(s)
Maxwell Sean,
Otis Casey
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Guideline describing the importance of the different types of multifamily building attics and their unique challenges, and outlines strategies and materials used in air-sealing them.
Author(s)
Aldrich Robb,
Mantha Pallavi,
Puttagunta Srikanth
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Document describing good practices for insulating basements in new and existing homes.
Author(s)
Mantha Pallavi,
Zoeller William,
Shapiro Carl
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Project discussing buried or encapsulated ducts and their pros and cons.
Author(s)
Bohac Dave,
Schoenbauer Ben,
Huelman Patrick H
Organization(s)
NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership,
NorthernSTAR,
University of Minnesota,
UMN
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the installation and operation of forced-air heating and domestic hot water combi systems in residential homes.
Author(s)
Brand Larry
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
Gas Technology Institute,
GTI Energy
Publication Date
Description
This measure guideline provides guidance on combustion safety inspection procedures for appliances and heating equipment that use indoor air for combustion and dilution of flue gases in low-rise residential buildings.
Author(s)
Arena Lois
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Document intended for designers and installers of hydronic heating systems interested in maximizing the overall system efficiency of condensing boilers when coupled with baseboard convectors. It is applicable to new and retrofit projects.