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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 151 - 200 of 258

HVAC – Cold Climate Heat Pump Sizing

Author(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
PNNL,
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage providing curriculum with links to presentations and problem sets for teaching an understanding of sizing cold climate heat pumps.

HVAC A Guide for Contractors to Share with Homeowners, Volume 14

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L,
Baechler Michael C,
Hefty Marye G,
Hand James R,
Love Pat M
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report providing information about energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) equipment options to help homeowners cut their energy use, reduce their carbon footprint, and increase their homes comfort, health, and safety.

Impacts of Shading and Glazing Combinations on Residential Energy Use in a Hot Dry Climate

Author(s)
Farrar-Nagy Sara,
Anderson Ren,
Hancock C E,
Reeves Paul
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Partnership for Resource Conservation,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Study evaluating opportunities for reducing cooling energy use in a hot dry climate through the use of shading and window options.

Improving Recessed Lighting

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Report providing information about techniques and approaches to improve the efficiency of recessed lighting.

Installing and Maintaining Evaporative Coolers

Author(s)
Otterbein Roy
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Article describing what evaporative coolers are, how they work, different types, performance, where they are appropriate, and how to install and maintain them.

Insulate Steam Distribution and Condensate Return Lines

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing principles of insulating steam distribution and condensate return lines as an effective way to prevent energy loss.

Interactive Walk-Through of a Residential Heat Pump Water Heater Installation in Massachusetts

Author(s)
D+R Learn,
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships,
Home Works Energy Inc.,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
This webpage provides an interactive walk-through of the installation of a heat pump water heater in a home in Massachusetts, 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...

IoT-Based Comfort Control and Fault Diagnostics System for Energy-Efficient Homes

Author(s)
O'Neill Zheng,
Tao Yang,
Jin Wen,
Kimball Richard,
Ningxuan Wen,
Taasevigen Danny,
Xiao Hai
Organization(s)
Texas A&M University,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Research report discussing the reduction of HVAC energy consumption to meet U.S. greenhouse gas targets and DOE's energy-efficient building goals. It introduces iComfort, an IoT-based system for optimizing home comfort and energy savings.

Laboratory Evaluation of Energy Recovery Ventilators

Author(s)
Kosar Douglas
Organization(s)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
Gas Technology Institute,
GTI Energy,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report targeting the growing number of homes utilizing deep retrofit measures and new construction practices to realize sufficiently lower infiltration levels that require mechanical ventilation as prescribed by ASHRAE Standard 62.2.

Laboratory Testing of Aerosol for Enclosure Air Sealing

Author(s)
Modera Mark,
Harrington Curtis
Organization(s)
Western Cooling Efficiency Center - UC Davis,
Building Industry Research Alliance,
BIRA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Research study to help development of an application protocol for aerosol sealing of building shells that will eventually be demonstrated on buildings in retrofit and new construction.

LED Basics - Solid-State Lighting

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Information about LED lighting technology.

LED Lighting

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
The light-emitting diode (LED) is one of today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technologies.

Lighting Choices to Save You Money

Author(s)
Energy Saver,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage describing high-efficiency lighting choices for homeowners including LEDs, CFLs, and halogen bulbs.

Low-Cost Radon Reduction Pilot Study

Author(s)
Francisco Paul W.,
Rose William B,
Merrin Zachary
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
Indoor Climate Research and Training,
Illinois Sustainable Technology Center,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report on the impact of air sealing between the foundation and the living space on radon transport reduction across the foundation and living space floor assembly at fifteen home.

Low-e Storm Windows: Market Assessment and Pathways to Market Transformation

Author(s)
Cort Katherine A
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Technical report assessing the market for Low-e storm windows based on market data, case studies, and recent experience with weatherization deployment programs.

Maine Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) Interactive Tour

Author(s)
D+R Learn,
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships,
Home Works Energy Inc.,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE,
NEEP
Publication Date
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...

Manufactured Home Factory Duct Leakage Testing

Author(s)
Slipstream
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Factsheet describing how to test the duct leakage of a manufactured home in the manufactured home factory.

Marine Climate

Author(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
PNNL,
DOE
Publication Date

Measure Guideline: Buried and/or Encapsulated Ducts

Author(s)
Mantha Pallavi,
Zoeller William,
Shapiro Carl
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Project discussing buried or encapsulated ducts and their pros and cons.

Measure Guideline: Selecting Ventilation Systems for Existing Homes

Author(s)
Aldrich Robb
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
This document addresses adding—or improving—mechanical ventilation systems to existing homes. The purpose of ventilation is to remove contaminants from homes either directly or by dilution. This report discusses where, when, and how much ventilation is appropriate in a home, including some...

Measure Guideline: Steam System Balancing and Tuning for Multifamily Residential Buildings

Author(s)
Choi Jayne,
Ludwig Peter,
Brand Larry
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
Gas Technology Institute,
GTI Energy,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC
Publication Date
Document intending to put some context and structure around the process of balancing and tuning one-pipe steam systems to help practitioners begin to garner the potential in energy savings that this measure presents.

Measure Guideline: Summary of Interior Ducts in New Construction, Including an Efficient, Affordable Method to Install Fur-Down Interior Ducts

Author(s)
Beal David,
McIlvaine Janet E R,
Fonorow Ken,
Martin Eric
Organization(s)
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
Publication Date
Document illustrating guidelines for efficient installation of interior duct systems in new housing.

Measure Guideline: Transitioning to a Tankless Water Heater

Author(s)
Brozyna Kevin,
Rapport Ari
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Document developed to help residential builders and retrofitters transition from tank-type water heaters to tankless water heaters.

Measure Guideline: Ventilation Cooling

Author(s)
Springer David,
Dakin Bill,
German Alea
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Davis Energy Group,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Guide describing proper application, design, and installation of mechanical ventilation cooling systems for homes located in hot-dry and cold-dry climates, as well as a means of understanding the benefits, costs, and tradeoffs of these systems.

Measure Guideline: Water Management at Tub and Shower Assemblies

Author(s)
Dickson Bruce
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report covering the fundamental waterproofing strategies for tub and shower assemblies.

Measure Guideline: Wood Window Repair, Rehabilitation, and Replacement

Author(s)
Baker Peter
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Document providing information and guidance about rehabilitating, retrofitting, and replacing wood window assemblies in residential construction.

Measured Cooling Performance and Potential for Buried Duct Condensation in a 1991 Central Florida Retrofit Home

Author(s)
Chasar Dave,
Withers Charles R
Organization(s)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Research study analyzing measured energy savings from a moderate retrofit by comparing post-retrofit performance with measured pre-retrofit monitored data.

Measured Performance of a Low Temperature Air Source Heat Pump

Author(s)
Johnson R K
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Research study outlining results of monitoring a low temperature heat pump.

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

Author(s)
Chasar Dave,
vonSchramm Valerie
Organization(s)
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
Publication Date
Report summarizing a case study about the performance of three occupied homes built in 2009 in San Antonio, Texas.

Mini-Split Heat Pumps Multifamily Retrofit Feasibility Study

Author(s)
Dentz Jordan,
Henderson Hugh,
Podorson David
Organization(s)
Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions,
ARIES,
Levy Partnership,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
This report investigates whether mini-split heat pumps can live up to their potential for one market segment: multifamily retrofits.

Moisture Control for Residential Buildings

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

National Green Building Standard Analysis

Author(s)
National Association of Home Builders Research Center,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
DOE
Publication Date
Report detailing the proposed point structure for the prescriptive approach of the energy efficiency chapter of the NGBS update.

Natural Ventilation

Author(s)
Energy Saver
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
DOE Energy Saver webpage providing a brief summary of natural ventilation for houses.

Needs of Non Energy-Focused Contractors

Author(s)
Liaukus Christine
Organization(s)
Building America Retrofit Alliance,
BARA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report investigating what motivates remodelers to become energy-focused and what technical knowledge that need to be energy-focused.

Newporter Apartments: Deep Energy Retrofit Short-Term Results

Author(s)
Gordon Andrew,
Howard Luke,
Kunkle Rick,
Lubliner Michael,
Auer Dan,
Clegg Zach
Organization(s)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report demonstrating cost-effective energy savings targets as well as improved comfort and indoor environmental quality associated with deep energy retrofits by a large public housing authority as part of a larger rehabilitation effort.

NREL Delivers In-Home HVAC Efficiency Testing Solutions

Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
NREL,
DOE
Publication Date
Document on the development of two simple in-home efficiency test methods that can be used by technicians, researchers, or interested homeowners to verify the correct operation and energy efficiency of a homes air conditioning and heating equipment.

NREL Evaluates the Thermal Performance of Uninsulated Walls to Improve the Accuracy of Building Energy Simulation Tools

Author(s)
Ridouane El Hassan
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Document about development of models for evaluating thermal performance of walls in existing homes that will improve the accuracy of building energy simulation tools when predicting potential energy savings of existing homes.

Overheating in Hot-Water and Steam-Heated Multifamily Buildings

Author(s)
Dentz Jordan,
Henderson Hugh,
Podorson David
Organization(s)
Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions,
ARIES,
Levy Partnership,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report providing information to researchers, utility program managers, and building owners interested in controlling heating energy waste and improving resident comfort.

Performance Evaluation and Opportunity Assessment for St. Bernard Project

Author(s)
Dickson Bruce
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report providing information about improving the energy efficiency and long-term durability of the buildings that are being reconstructed post Katrina in New Orleans.

Performance of Windows in Walls With Continuous Insulation

Author(s)
Peavey John,
Shah Nay B
Organization(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs,
HIRL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Technical report describing research aimed to provide window manufacturers with foundational guidance for installing windows in walls with continuous insulation (CI), addressing critical aspects such as evaluating common installation methods, establishing acceptance criteria for window performance...